I am a plant molecular biologist and entomologist.

What do I do?

I am a graduate student who studies plant-mosquito interactions at Baylor University.  Ultimately, I want to use plants to kill mosquitoes.

Specifically, I research mosquito nectar-feeding behaviors.  Since male mosquitoes never feed on blood and female mosquitoes only feed on blood when they want to lay eggs, they get most of their energy from consuming plant nectar and other sugar sources.  I identify plants that are attractive nectar sources for mosquitoes and then I find ways to modify those plants to produce toxins targeted toward those mosquitoes.  

Additionally, I am an educator.  I have had the privilege of teaching multiple semesters at Baylor University.  I have taught many different lab courses from human physiology and freshmen biology to molecular genetics and microbiology.  I also do outreach.  Through Baylor Present Your PhD, I have had the opportunity to communicate science and my research to the public.

Curious? Feel free to ask me more.

Want to know more? Let me introduce myself in roughly 90 seconds.