Biology Researcher of Ecology and Fungi
Biology Researcher of Ecology and Fungi
About me
About me
I am a recent PhD Graduate of Botany from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in Dr. Pringle’s lab. I strive to apply my knowledge in research, environmental conservation, and data analysis in a context focusing on sustainability and environmental health.
I am a recent PhD Graduate of Botany from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in Dr. Pringle’s lab. I strive to apply my knowledge in research, environmental conservation, and data analysis in a context focusing on sustainability and environmental health.
In graduate school I used lab-based molecular biology, genomic tools, and organism culture techniques to study how fungi function in ecosystems and how they are adapting to global change. Throughout my career I have gained skills in project management, experimental design, and large-scale data analysis.
In graduate school I used lab-based molecular biology, genomic tools, and organism culture techniques to study how fungi function in ecosystems and how they are adapting to global change. Throughout my career I have gained skills in project management, experimental design, and large-scale data analysis.
I am passionate about scientific inquiry, I value sharing scientific knowledge and making science communication accessible to a broad audience, and I am interested in building my research skills to improve the sustainability of our Earth.
I am passionate about scientific inquiry, I value sharing scientific knowledge and making science communication accessible to a broad audience, and I am interested in building my research skills to improve the sustainability of our Earth.
The Pringle Lab studies diverse aspects of fungal biology with an emphasis on pursuing interesting questions and mentoring. I joined the Pringle Lab to study fungal ecology: the roles fungi play in ecosystems.
Previous Experience
Previous Experience
I am a fungi-loving scientist with a PhD from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in Dr. Anne Pringle’s lab. I first fell in love with fungi when studying Laccaria bicolor and their mycorrhizal helper bacteria on Populus during a summer internship at Oak Ridge National Lab. At ORNL I learned how to grow organisms in greenhouse and growth chamber settings, and how to perform axenic techniques. My love of biology and fungi grew deeper as I took courses during my Bachelors at the University of Tennessee in Ecosystem Ecology, Biodiversity of Fungi, and Computational Biology to name a few. After I completed my Bachelors at UTK, I worked with coprophilous fungi (dung fungi!) as the research technician in Dr. Kabir Peay’s Fungal Ecology lab at Stanford University. As research technician I gained valuable experience including performing molecular biology techniques to define soil microbial communities, teaching undergraduates about fungal biology, and collaborating with researchers on field, growth chamber, and lab-based experiments.
I am a fungi-loving scientist with a PhD from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in Dr. Anne Pringle’s lab. I first fell in love with fungi when studying Laccaria bicolor and their mycorrhizal helper bacteria on Populus during a summer internship at Oak Ridge National Lab. At ORNL I learned how to grow organisms in greenhouse and growth chamber settings, and how to perform axenic techniques. My love of biology and fungi grew deeper as I took courses during my Bachelors at the University of Tennessee in Ecosystem Ecology, Biodiversity of Fungi, and Computational Biology to name a few. After I completed my Bachelors at UTK, I worked with coprophilous fungi (dung fungi!) as the research technician in Dr. Kabir Peay’s Fungal Ecology lab at Stanford University. As research technician I gained valuable experience including performing molecular biology techniques to define soil microbial communities, teaching undergraduates about fungal biology, and collaborating with researchers on field, growth chamber, and lab-based experiments.
At UW-Madison for my dissertation I studied how global change effects fungi, specifically testing how diverse decomposer fungi are responding to increased nitrogen levels in temperate forests. My dissertation also included a study on the potentially invasive species Amanita thiersii which is expanding its habitat rapidly in North America and bears a remarkable resemblance to the Argentinian species Amanita foetens. This work is now published in F1000 Research.
At UW-Madison for my dissertation I studied how global change effects fungi, specifically testing how diverse decomposer fungi are responding to increased nitrogen levels in temperate forests. My dissertation also included a study on the potentially invasive species Amanita thiersii which is expanding its habitat rapidly in North America and bears a remarkable resemblance to the Argentinian species Amanita foetens. This work is now published in F1000 Research.
In addition to pursuing my PhD in fungal ecology, I love spreading fungal knowledge every way I can. Sometimes this looks like sharing mushroom posts on instagram, or mentoring undergraduate researchers during my lab, field, and greenhouse experiments. I especially enjoy teaching about fungi outside of the school setting - in the woods, where the fungi are! I am a proud co-founder and member of the Madison Mycology Society so that I can help bring fungal knowledge to more people! I co-curated the Mycological Menagerie, a fungal-inspired Art Gallery by artists from around the US who love making art about Fungi. Now based in Portland, OR, I am happy to share my skills as the Education Chair of the Oregon Mycological Society where I am helping spread knowledge about fungi with people of all ages. In my spare time I enjoy taking walks with my family, playing with my pets, and hunting for/photographing fungi (I share photos I've taken of fungi on instagram using the tag #HappyFungalFriday).
In addition to pursuing my PhD in fungal ecology, I love spreading fungal knowledge every way I can. Sometimes this looks like sharing mushroom posts on instagram, or mentoring undergraduate researchers during my lab, field, and greenhouse experiments. I especially enjoy teaching about fungi outside of the school setting - in the woods, where the fungi are! I am a proud co-founder and member of the Madison Mycology Society so that I can help bring fungal knowledge to more people! I co-curated the Mycological Menagerie, a fungal-inspired Art Gallery by artists from around the US who love making art about Fungi. Now based in Portland, OR, I am happy to share my skills as the Education Chair of the Oregon Mycological Society where I am helping spread knowledge about fungi with people of all ages. In my spare time I enjoy taking walks with my family, playing with my pets, and hunting for/photographing fungi (I share photos I've taken of fungi on instagram using the tag #HappyFungalFriday).
Black Trumpets, Craterellus cornucopoides in northern Wisconsin
Some #HappyFungalFriday Photos
Some #HappyFungalFriday Photos
Chicken of the Woods, Laetiporus in Wisconsin
Inky cap, Coprinopsis in California
Elvin Saddle, Helvella in Wisconsin
Morel, Morchella, found near train tracks in California
Sordaria ascospores under the microscope, California
Club fungus, Clavaria in Michigan
Get in touch at @noramushrooms on instagram
Get in touch at @noramushrooms on instagram
