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Research Interests:

I am a Research Geneticist with the USDA-ARS and an Adjunct Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics at Cornell University. I began my career studying molecular evolution and archaeology, which got me interested in using natural diversity to improve crops and increase sustainability. I developed association mapping approaches and germplasm to pinpoint genes and find natural variation controlling many maize traits. My group has also developed a wide range of big data, bioinformatic, and molecular tools that have been used to characterize and tap diversity in over 2,000 species. Currently, my group is developing approaches to use multiple sources of biological knowledge to design sustainable energy efficient crops that are adapted to numerous environments. I have also served in numerous leadership positions within the crop and genetics communities and I am a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Education:

• PhD in Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia 

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• B.A. in Biology and Archaeology (with Honors), University of Virginia