Plant biology and trait-meditated ecology are what excite me as a scientist, and it is very easy for me to spend all of my waking hours thinking about ecological systems and the traits that regulate them. And, yet, this fascination is balanced with an equal (or stronger) interest in actively participating in the growth and development of my most important contributions to science and society. Perhaps this is the incarnation of Dawkin's "selfish gene" idea, or perhaps a social version of my own attempt at an "extended phenotype". Or, perhaps it is just a healthy dose of perspective.

These two amazing coordinators make sure that I don't miss the beauty of the things I study. There is no doubt that I'm a better scientist because of them. We laugh, play, hike, explore, and do our own science here and there.



'After you understand all about the sun and the stars and the rotation of the earth, you may still miss the radiance of the sunset'
- Alfred North Whitehead


'Now I see the secret of making the best persons. It is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.'
- Walt Whitman, Song of the Open Road