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College of Arts and Sciences
Wilson Administrative, second floor, 204
740-593-0053

Sarah Wyatt

Sarah Wyatt, portrait
Distinguished Professor
Porter 508
Molecular Cellular Biology
Plant Biology
wyatts@ohio.edu

Recent News About Dr. Wyatt

News archives

Dr. Sarah Wyatt CV [Word]

Education

  • Ph.D., Interdisciplinary Plant Physiology Program, December 1995, Department of Botany & Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
  • Master of Science, Plant Pathology, May 1991, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546
  • Bachelor of Science (with highest distinction), May 1984, and Bachelor of Arts (with highest distinction), December 1980, Honors Program, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

Research

  • Transition of floral dimorphisms
  • Plant signaling especially as it relates to the response to gravity
  • The use of genetic, genomic, proteomic and bioinformatic strategies to identify novel signaling components

In the Wyatt Lab, we use molecular, genetic and genomic tools to study plant growth and development.

Gravity is a fundamental stimulus governing plant growth and development. Normally, when plants are reoriented with respect to gravity (placed on their side), the shoots bend up and the roots bend down. We use a cold "trick" to isolate the molecular components that respond to the gravity stimulus. The gravity persistent signal (gps) mutants are the star of this show. We have further exploited the GPS response to use genomic and proteomic analysis for global gene discovery. And, of course, the true control for gravity responses is a lack of gravity. In 2014-15, we were privileged to "fly" an experiment aboard the International Space Station. And in 2017, we have another spaceflight opportunity to dissect the molecular components of gravity perception.

Other projects in the Wyatt lab involve the shift between chasmogamous (open) and cleistogamous (closed) flowers in Viola pubescens (with Harvey Ballard).

Current Projects

  • Comprehensive meta-analysis of multi-g studies on Earth and ISS
  • APEX-07: Spaceflight alters post-transcriptional regulation (collaborator: Imara Perera, NCSU)
  • Molecular dissection of plant gravity perception (PGP) during spaceflight (collaborator: Chris Wolverton, OWU)
  • BRIC 20: Integrated analysis of the transcriptome and membrane and soluble proteins from Spaceflight seedlings
  • RNAseq analysis and identification of genes regulating the floral transition in violets

Other Websites

Data Submissions

Wyatt, S.E., Luesse, D.R. (2015) GLDS-38 Transcriptomic and Proteomic Data from BRIC20 published to GeneLab Data System

Grants & Contracts

Research - external

  • NASA Space Biology. “Comprehensive meta-analysis of multi-g studies on Earth and ISS” Meyers, A.D co-I, $50,000 (Jan 2022-Dec. 2022)
  • NASA Space Biology. “Spaceflight alters post-transcriptional regulation – extension for refly” S. E. Wyatt $203,711 (May 2022 – February 2023
  • NASA Space Biology. “BRIC LED Hardware Definition Test – Molecular and physiological responses of Arabidopsis thaliana” $48,944 to OU (February 1, 2021-January 31, 2022) Robert Ferl, Anna-Lisa Paul, Elison Blancaflor, Simon Gilroy co-PIs
  • NASA Space Biology. “Spaceflight alters post-transcriptional regulation” S. E. Wyatt $449,972 (September 2019- August 2022)
  • NASA Space Biology. “Molecular Dissection of Plant Gravity Perception” Wyatt, S. E., Wolverton, C. (Co-Principal), $96,952 sub-award to OU (September 2018 - May 2020).
  • NASA Space Biology. “Pilot project: Molecular dissection of Plant Gravity Perception” Wyatt, S. E., Wolverton, C. (Co-Principal), $63,144 to OU (September 2017 – August 2018).
  • NASA supplement to BRIC 20. “Definition: Proteomics Analysis of Arabidopsis seedlings in microgravity. $50,000 (4/2016-12/2016)
  • NASA, GeneLab supplement to BRIC 20. “Proteomics Analysis of Arabidopsis seedlings in microgravity. $63,000 (1/2015-12/2015)
  • NASA, Research Opportunities in Space Flight. “Proteomics Analysis of Arabidopsis seedlings in microgravity. $383,052 (9/2013-8/2015)
  • National Science Foundation, Organism and Environment Cluster, IOS. “Gravitropic Signal Transduction: A network approach to identifying the regulatory mechanisms,” $250,000 (6/2012-5/2014).
  • National Science Foundation, Functional and Regulatory Systems, “Functional characterization of a cytochrome P450 involved in gravitropic signal transduction”, $360,000 (9/2006-8/2010).
  • Ohio Plant Biotechnology Consortium, "Microsatellite molecular markers for cultivar development, potential bioremediation and basic research in the violets", Wyatt, S. E. (co-PI), Ballard, Harvey (co-PI, OU) and Culley, Theresa (co-PI, U Cincinnati), $10,000 (7/2004-6/2005).          
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration, "Molecular cloning and characterization of the GPS genes of Arabidopsis", $460,000 (1/2003-12/2005).
  • United States Department of Agriculture, "Characterization of the gps mutants of Arabidopsis" $80,000, (11/2002- 12/2003).
  • American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology "Characterization of auxin transport in the gps mutants of Arabidopsis" $10,110, (11/2001-10/2002).

Research Infrastructure

  • Ohio University 1804. “Acquisition of Covaris Instrumentation to Enhance Research Infrastructure” Wyatt, S. E., Kopchick, J. J., Berryman, D., Burdick, M., Murphy, E., Vis-Chiasson, M., Hua, Z. $63,545(August 2017 - July 2018).
  • National Science Foundation, Major Research Instrumentation “Acquisition of Plant Growth Chambers to Enhance Research Infrastructure at Ohio University”, Showalter, A., Wyatt, S. E., Ballard, H.E., Faik, A., Kieliszewski, K., $389,726 (9/2013-8/2016)
  • Ohio Plant Biotechnology Consortium, “A High Performance Computational Biology Pipeline for Regulatory Genomics”, Wyatt, S. E. (co-PI), Welch, Lonnie (co-PI, OU) and Stahlberg, Eric (co-PI, Ohio State University), $50,000 (7/2008-6/2009).
  • Ohio University 1804 Fund, “A laser dissection microscope to enhance research infrastructure at OU”, Wyatt, S.E. (co-PI), Nadella, Vijay (senior personnel) $40,000 (7/2007-6/2008)
  • National Science Foundation, Major Research Instrumentation “Acquisition of equipment for a Core Genomics Facility at Ohio University”, Wyatt, S. E. (co-PI) and Vis, Morgan (co-PI), $448,509, (7/2006-6/2009).

Publications

(Graduate students indicated in bold, Undergraduates in italics, *Authors contributed equally.)

  • Barker R, Kruse C, Johnson C, ….. Wyatt, SE, Fogle, H (in review) The Matrix: Meta-analysis of the space flight and microgravity response of the Arabidopsis plant transcriptome. Nature Microgravity
  • Meyers, A., Wyatt, SE (2022) Plant Space Biology in the Genomics Age. Annual Plant Reviews Online (accepted; invited) (available on-line now)
  • Kruse CPS, Wyatt SE (2022) Nitric Oxide, gravity response, and a unified schematic of plant signaling, Plant Science 314: 111105 (available on-line now)
  • Basu P, Kruse CPS., Luesse D.R, Wyatt SE (2021) A Guide to plant proteomic data acquisition and data analyses. Plant Gravitropism: Methods and Protocols (invited)
  • Meyers AD, Scinto-Madonich N, Wyatt SE, Wolverton SC (2021) Plant Growth and Dissection on Polyethersulfone Membranes. Plant Gravitropism: Methods and Protocols (invited)
  • Overbey et al. (2020) NASA GeneLab RNA-Seq Consensus Pipeline: Standardized Processing of Short-Read RNA Seq Data. Cell Reports; preprint on BioArxiv (2020) (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.06.371724v1)
  • Kruse CPS, Meyers AD, Basu P, Hutchinson S, Luesse DR, Wyatt SE (2020) Spaceflight induces novel regulatory responses in Arabidopsis as revealed by combined proteomics and transcriptomic analyses, BMC Plant Biology 20:237 
    (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-020-02392-6)
  • Sternberger AL, Ruhil AVS, Rosenthal DM, Ballard H.E Jr, Wyatt SE (2020) Environmental impact on the temporal production of chasmogamous and cleistogamous flowers in the mixed breeding system of Viola pubescens. PLOS One 15(3): e0229726 (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229726)
  • Kiss John Z, Wolverton SC, Wyatt SE, Hasenstein KH, van Loon JWA (2019) Comparison of Microgravity Analogs to Spaceflight in Studies of Plant Growth and Development. Frontiers in Plant Science 10: 1577  (https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01577)
  • Sternberger AL, Bowman MJ, Kruse CPS, Ballard HE, Childs KL, Wyatt SE (2019) Transcriptomics identifies modules of differentially expressed genes and novel cyclotides in Viola pubescens. Frontiers in Plant Biology 10:15 (https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.00156)
  • Basu P, Kruse CPS, Luesse DR, Wyatt SE (2017) Growth in spaceflight hardware results in alterations to the transcriptome and proteome. Life Science in Space Research 15: 88–96 (10.1016/j.lssr.2017.09.001)
  • Kruse CPS, Basu P, Luesse DR, Wyatt SE (2017) Transcriptome and Proteome Stability in RNAlater® Preserved Tissue of Arabidopsis thaliana. PLOS One 12, e0175943 (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175943)
  • Wang Y, Ballard HE, Stockinger EJ, Nadella V, Sternberger A., Wyatt SE (2017) The role of two LEAFY orthologs in the chasmogamous/cleistogamous mixed breading system of Viola pubescens (Violaceae), Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 144: 206-217 (https:doi.org/10.3159/TORREY-D-16-00023R2)
  • Hutchinson S, Basu P, Wyatt SE, Luesse DR (2016) Methods for on-orbit germination of Arabidopsis thaliana for proteomic analysis. Gravitational and Space Research 4: 20-17 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/gsr-2016-0009)
  • Cook CA, Tucker A, Shen K and Wyatt SE. (2015) Microarray identifies transcription factors potentially involved in gravitropic signal transduction. Gravitational and Space Research 3:18-27 (http://gravitationalandspaceresearch.org/index.php/journal/article/view/694)
  • Basu P, Luesse DR, Wyatt SE (2015) Proteomic approaches and their application to plant gravitropism IN: Methods in Molecular Biology Elison Blancaflor (Ed.) Springer – Humana Press (DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2697-8_10)
  • Rothwell, GR, Wyatt, SE, Tomescu AMF (2014) Plant evolution at the interface of paleontology and developmental biology: an organism centered paradigm. American Journal of Botany 101: 899-913 (cover) (DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1300451)
  • Tomescu AMF, Wyatt SE, Hasebe M, Rothwell GR (2014) Early evolution of the vascular plant body plan - the missing mechanisms. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 17:126–136  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2013.11.016
  • Wyatt SE, Kiss JZ (2013) Plant Tropisms: From Darwin to the International Space Station. American Journal of Botany 100:1-3 (cover) (DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1200591)
  • Schenck CA, Nadella V, Clay SL, Lindner J, Abrams Z, Wyatt SE (2013) A proteomics approach identifies proteins involved in gravitropic signal transduction. American Journal of Botany 100:194-202 (DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1200339)
  • Withers JC, Shipp MJ, Rupasinghe SG, Sukumar P, Schuler M, Muday G, Wyatt SE (2013) GRAVITY PERSISTENT SIGNAL 1 (GPS1) reveals a novel cytochrome P450 involved in gravitropism. American Journal of Botany 100:183 -193 (DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1200436)
  • Wang Y, Ballard HE, McNally RR, Wyatt SE (2013) Gibberellic acid is involved in, but not sufficient to invert the closed status of the cleistogamous flowers in Viola pubescens. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 140: 1-8 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/43286981)
  • Shen K, Wyatt SE, Nadella V (2012) ArrayOU: a web application for microarray data analysis and visualization. Journal of Biomolecular Techniques 23: 37-39 (doi: 10.7171/jbt.2012-2302-001)
  • Sanders H, Rothwell GW, Wyatt SE. (2011) Parallel Evolution of Auxin Regulation in Rooting Systems. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 291: 221-225. (DOI:10.1007/s00606-010-0383-1)
  • *Luesse DR, *Schenck CA, Berner BK, Justus B, Wyatt, SE (2010) GPS4 is allelic to ARL2: Implications for gravitropic signal transduction. Gravitational and Space Biology 23: 95-97.
  • Lev-Yadun S, Wyatt SE, Flaishman MA, (2010) Unconscious selection and domestication in "wild-type" Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae). Int. J. of Plant Breeding 4: 76-77.
  • Liang X,  Shen K, Lichtenberg J, Wyatt SE, Welch LR (2010) An integrated bioinformatics approach to the discovery of cis-regulatory elements involved in plant gravitropic signal transduction. International Journal of Computational Bioscience 1:33-54. (DOI: 10.2316/Journal.210.2010.1.210-1013)
  • Wyatt SE, Sederoff R, Flaishman M, Lev-Yadun S (2010) Arabidopsis thaliana as a model for gelatinous fiber formation. Russian Journal of Plant Physiology 57:384-388. (https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443710030076)
  • Sanders HL, Rothwell GW, Wyatt SE (2009) Key Morphological alterations in the evolution of leaves.  Int. J. Plant Sci. 170:860-868  (https://doi.org/10.1086/600135)
  • Lichtenberg J, Alam M, Bitterman T, Drews F, Ecker K, Elnitski L, Evans S, Grotewold E, Gu G, Jacox E, Kurz K, Lee SL, Liang X, Majmudar PM, Morris P, Nelson C, Stockinger E, Welch JD, Wyatt SE, Yilmaz A, Welch LR (2009) Construction of genomic regulatory encyclopedias: Strategies and case studies. Proceedings of the Ohio Collaborative Conference on Bioinformatics, IEEE Computer Society Press 67-70.  (doi: 10.1109/OCCBIO.2009.9.)
  • Sanders HL Wyatt SE (2009) Leaf Evolution and Development:  Advancing Technologies, Advancing Understanding. BioScience59: 17-26. (https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2009.59.1.6)
  • Rothwell GW, Sanders HL, Wyatt S., Lev-Yadun S. (2008) A fossil record for growth regulations: the role of auxin in wood evolution. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 95, 121-134.
  • Roberts DR, Nadella V, Wyatt SE (2007) ARF9 and the gravitropic persistence signal response.  Gravitational and Space Biology   20: 103-104.
  • Sanders HL, Rothwell GW, and Wyatt SE (2007) A paleontological context for the developmental mechanisms of evolution. Int. J. Plant Sci. 168:719-728. (https://doi.org/10.1086/513519)
  • Nadella V, Hildenbrand CD, and Wyatt SE (2006) Transcription profiling of the gps1 mutant of Arabidopsis.  Gravitational and Space Biology 20:155-156. 
  • Nadella V, Shipp MJ, Muday GM, and Wyatt SE (2006) Evidence for altered polar and lateral auxin transport in the gravity persistent signal (gps) mutants of Arabidopsis.   Plant Cell and Environment 29:682-690. (cover) (doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2005.01451.x.)
  • Lev-Yadun S, Wyatt SE, and Flaishman MA (2005) The inflorescence stem fibers of Arabidopsis thaliana revoluta (ifl1) mutant. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation 23, 301-306 (cover).
  • Wyatt SE, Rashotte A, Shipp M, Robertson D, Muday GK (2002) Mutations in the GPS loci in Arabidopsis disrupt the perception and/or signal transduction of gravitropic stimuli. Plant Physiology 130, 1426-1435 (Featured in “On the Inside”).  (doi: 10.1104/pp.102.010579)
  • Wyatt SE, Tsou P-L, Robertson D (2002) Expression of the high capacity calcium-binding domain of calreticulin increases bioavailable calcium stores. Transgenic Research 11, 1-10.  (DOI: 10.1023/a:1013917701701)
  • *Perrson S, *Love J, *Wyatt S E, Thompson W, Robertson D, Boss WF (2001) The Ca+ status of the endoplasmic reticulum is altered by induction of calreticulin expression in transgenic plants. Plant Physiology 126, 1092-1104. (DOI: 10.1104/pp.126.3.1092)
  • Collings DA, Carter CN, Rink JC, Scott AC, Wyatt SE, Allen NS (2000) Plant nuclei can contain extensive grooves and invaginations. Plant Cell 12, 2425-2439.  (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.12.12.2425)
  • Scott A, Wyatt SE, Tsou P-L, Robertson D, Allen NS (1999) A model system for plant cell biology:  GFP imaging in living onion epidermal cells.  BioTechniques 26, 1127-1132 (cover).  (DOI: 10.2144/99266st04)
  • Collings DA, Winter H, Wyatt SE, Allen NS (1998) Growth dynamics and cytoskeleton organization during stem maturation and gravity-induced stem bending in Zea mays.  Planta 207, 246-258. (DOI: 10.1007/s004250050480)
  • Gorshkova TA, Wyatt SE, Salnikov VV, Gibeaut DM, Ibragimov MR, Lozovaya VV, Carpita NC (1996) Cell-wall polysaccharides of developing flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) plants.  Plant Physiology 110, 721-729 (cover).  (doi: 10.1104/pp.110.3.721)
  • Wyatt SE, Dolph A., Avery AA, Carpita NC (1995) Plasma membrane to cell wall adhesion and its role in response to biotic and abiotic stresses.  IN:  Current Issues in Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology, Vol. 22 (M. Terzi, R. Cella, A. Falavigna, eds.).  Dordrecht: Kluwer Press. p. 19-29.  (https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-011-0307-7_3)
  • Wyatt S. Carpita NC (1993) Plant cytoskeleton-exocellular matrix continuum.  Trends in Cell Biology 3, 413-417 (cover).  (doi: 10.1104/pp.103.027250)
  • Zhu JK, Shi J, Singh U, Wyatt S., Bressan RA, Hasegawa PM, Carpita NC (1993) Enrichment of vitronectin- and fibronectin-like proteins in NaCl-adapted plant cells and evidence for their involvement in plasma membrane-cell wall adhesion.  Plant Journal 3, 637-646.
  • Wyatt SE Kuc J (1992) The accumulation of b-ionone and 3-hydroxy esters of b-ionone in tobacco immunized by foliar inoculation with tobacco mosaic virus.  Phytopathology 82, 580-582. (DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-82-580)
  • Wyatt SE, Pan SQ, Kuc J (1991) b-1,3-Glucanase, chitinase, and peroxidase activities in tobacco tissues resistance and susceptible to blue mold as related to flowering, age, and sucker development.  Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology 39, 433-440. (https://doi.org/10.1016/0885-5765(91)90009-7)

Invited Talks

  • Ohio University Science Café (Ohio University; October 14, 2021)
  • NASA GeneLab for High School Students (TEAMS; July 15, 2021)
  • International Space Station Research and Development (ISS R&D) Conference (online, June 23, 2021)
  • Mount St. Joseph University (TEAMS, March 1, 2021)
  • NASA Spaceflight Technologies, Application, and Research (STAR) Workshop (TEAMS; Jan 13, 2021)
  • Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro (TEAMS; Sept. 17, 2020)
  • Columbus Science Pub (Columbus, OH; March 7, 2019)
  • Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University (Athens, OH; Jan 25, 2019)
  • Science Café, Ohio University (Athens, OH; Nov 14, 2018)
  • Evergreen Arts & Humanities Series (Marietta, OH; Nov. 7, 2018)
  • Teen Science Café, Athens Public Library (Athens, OH; Feb.26, 2018)
  • Norm Cohn Symposium, Ohio University (Athens, OH; Sept. 9, 2017)
  • Midwestern Regional, American Society of Plant Biologists (West Lafayette, IN; Feb 4, 2017)
  • Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio University (Athens, OH; Sept 27, 2016)
  • XO Seminar, NASA Ames Research Center (Mountain View, CA; July 2016)
  • Plant Biology Europe 2016 (Prague, Czech Republic; June 2016)
  • GeneLab, NASA Ames Research Center (Mountain View, CA; Sept. 2015)
  • Tech Savvy Michigan, keynote (May 2015)
  • 40th COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) Scientific Assembly (Moscow, Russia: Aug 2014)
  • Tech Savvy OHIO, keynote (Athens, OH; May 2014)
  • Howard University, Department of Biology, (Washington, D.C.; Nov 16, 2011)
  • Purdue University, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology (West Lafayette, IN; Sept 2011)
  • Evolution of Plant Patterns (Moose, WY; March 28-29, 2011)
  • Ohio Collaborative Conference on Bioinformatics (Columbus, OH; June 2010).
  • 37th COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) Scientific Assembly (Montreal, Canada: July 2008)
  • Ohio Collaborative Conference on Bioinformatics (Toledo, OH: June 2008).
  • Gordon Conference on Mechanotransduction in Biological Systems (New London, CT, July 2007).
  • Westminster College, Department of Biology (New Wilmington, PA: March 2007).
  • Ohio University Molecular and Cell Biology Program Retreat (Hocking Hills, OH: Oct 2006).
  • Molecular and Computational Biology, USC (Los Angeles, CA: March 2005).
  • University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Baltimore, MD: February 2005).
  • Plant Cellular & Molecular Biology, Ohio State University (Columbus, OH: February 2005).
  • 35th COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) Scientific Assembly (Paris, France: July 2004).
  • Duquesne University, Department of Biological Sciences (Pittsburgh, PA: April 2004).
  • Gordon Conference on Mechanotransduction in Biological Systems (New London, CT, July 2003).
  • Plant Gravitational Genomics Group, North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC: Sept. 2002).
  • Plant Growth Regulation Society of America (Miami Beach, FL: July 2001).
  • NCSU Forest Biotechnology Research Consortium (Raleigh, NC: April 2001).
  • Department of Botany, Miami University (Miami, OH: Feb 2001).
  • American Society of Gravitational and Space Biology (Montreal, Canada: Oct 2000).

Academic Appointments

  • 2021-2023 Steering Committee, Decadal Survey, NASA Biological and Physical Sciences, National Academy of Science, Washington DC
  • 2017- present Director, Interdisciplinary Molecular and Cell Biology Program, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
  • 2013- present Professor, Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
  • Spring 2016 Faculty Fellowship Leave, GeneLab - Omics Open Science Initiative, NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA
  • 2014-2015 Intermittent Program Director, Molecular & Cell Biology, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA
  • 2012-2013 ‘Rotating’ Program Director, Integrative Organismal Systems, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA
  • 2006-2013 Associate Professor, Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
  • 2011-2012 Associate Chair, Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
  • 2000-2006 Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
  • 1996-2000 Research Associate, NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training, Department of Botany, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

Service

National/International

  • Plant Analysis Working Group, NASA GeneLab, Dec 2016- present
  • Plant Science Definition Team, NASA, Aug 2016 – present                 

Grant Panels

NASA, International Life Science Research, Washington, DC

  • Spaceflight; NASA Fundamental Space Biology

National Science Foundation, Division of Biological Sciences

  • Physiological and Structural Systems Cluster, IOS;
  • Molecular and Cell Biology; Major Research Instrumentation
  • Division of Undergraduate Education; IGERT

United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC

European Space Agency, ILSRA

American Society of Plant Biologists Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship

Manuscript Reviews – numerous journals

Advances in Space Biology, American Journal of Botany, Gravitational and Space Biology ISRN Botany, Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society, J. Biological Chemistry, J. Experimental Botany, Physiologia Plantarum, Plant Cell, Plant Cell Reports, Plant Cell and Environment, Plant Physiology, Plant Signaling and Behavior, PLOS One, International Journal of Plant Science, Trends in Plant Science

Editorial Boards

BMC Plant Biology, American Journal of Botany, Gravitational and Space Biology

Honors and Awards

  • Fellow, Sigma Xi, 2020
  • Fellow, American Society of Plant Biologists, 2020
  • Mid Atlantic Conference (MAC) Outstanding Faculty Award for Student Success, 2019-2020
  • Distinguished Agriculture Alumni Award, Purdue University, 2019
  • 2018 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award, Tech Savvy OHIO. INSIGHT into Diversity Magazine
  • Excellence in Education Award, American Society of Plant Biologist, 2017
  • Presidential Research Scholar, Ohio University, 2016
  • Presidential Teaching Award, Ohio University, 2014-2017
  • Outstanding Faculty Leadership and Service Award, College of Arts & Sciences 2013-14
  • Ann Campbell Brown Service Award, Ohio University, 2011
  • Presidential Teaching Award, Ohio University, 2007-2010
  • Dean’s Outstanding Teacher Award, College of Arts & Sciences, Ohio University, 2004

Teaching and Outreach

Teaching - Ohio University

  • MCB 7410 MCB Seminar, Fall and Spring annually, 2017- present
  • PBIO 6972 Genomics Journal Club, Fall and Spring annually, 2015- present
  • PBIO 1140 Foundations of Plant Biology, Fall term annually
  • PBIO 4/5180 Writing in the Life Sciences, Fall annually
  • PBIO 4181J Writing for Biologists, Spring biannually
  • PBIO 4940 Undergraduate Research, each semester as needed

Outreach

  • Tech Savvy OHIO, Organizing Committee Chair and presenter, annually May 2014 - present
  • Ohio University’s Women in Science and Engineering Day presenter, annually 2001-2012
  • Numerous talks/demos/workshops in 1996-present serving ca. over 4000 6-12th graders, 1200 elementary school students, and 400 adults.

Professional Affiliations

  • American Society of Plant Biologists, since 1991
  • Association for Women in Science, since 1992
  • American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology, since 1996
  • Botanical Society of American, since 2004
  • International Society for Computational Biology, since 2009