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Education:
State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Bachelor of Science 1999
Work Experience:
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca, New York
Forest Ecology/Plant Physiology Research Assistant
Literature from the Topa lab:
Yang, Wei Qei, Dunbar, Amy K, and Topa, Mary A. Fine root turnover and mychorrhizal morphotypes in Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.). HortScience 35(3). 2000. See poster.
Interests:
My interest in conservation biology began in high school as I watched the urban sprawl of metro-Atlanta consume local forests and natural areas. As a teenager, I thought the rainforests were the only ecosystems being depleted. However, I quickly learned that many wildflowers and bird species were close to extinction in my own region. This interest took me to the College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York to study environmental and forest biology. Since then, my interest in conservation has expanded to include restoration ecology. While trying to understand the complex issues associated with restoration, I have become concerned with issues in natural resources management. The sad reality is that even with the best science many restoration efforts will be doomed without local and international support. I am also interested in the way in which U.S. national and international policy affects the landscape and economy of developing nations.
On a slightly smaller
scale, I have many interests in plant ecology. These interests include
root system structure and function, water use efficiency, and the genetic
structure of populations in fragmented landscapes. With these diverse
interests, I hope to have the opportunity to work with researchers from
different disciplines towards the goal of preserving and conserving the
world's natural resources. 
Links:
www.igc.org/envreview/kenworth.html (how regular people can help conservation efforts)
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