My colleagues and I study the ecology and evolution of plant-insect interactions especially among the pollinators and parasites of tropical trees. Our work in Papua New Guinea engages indigenous citizen scientists in biodiversity discovery and rain forest conservation. Genetic studies of figs, mulberries, nettles, hops, and hemp aim to identify the mechanisms that produce and maintain biodiversity. With the first U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration permit for Cannabis genetic research, we have identified the gene that separates hemp from marijuana.
Awards and Achievements
- University of Minnesota President's Community Engaged Scholar Award ( 2017)