Greetings! My name is Paige and I am a PhD student at Ohio University who is passionate about plants and education. I grew up exploring and admiring the lush rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, which compelled me to take my first botany course at my community college in 2013. From then on, I have have held a deep love and fascination for plant systematics and evolution. In 2017 I received a B.S. in Plant Biology from the University of Washington where I began my research career studying the molecular phylogenetics of the clade Tecomeae (Bignoniaceae). In 2021 I received my M.S. in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology from The Ohio State University where I studied the evolution of sterile stamens, called staminodes, in the genus Penstemon (Plantaginaceae). For my Ph.D., I am researching floral trait evolution in the genus Mentzelia (Loasaceae) with a special focus on how and why staminodes have evolved in this group. This NSF-funded research project is an exciting opportunity for me to evaluate the consequences of floral structures evolving new and novel functions.
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