646: Examining the Genetic Basis of the Evolution of Plant Innovations - Dr. Veronica Di Stilio
Dr. Ver\xf3nica Di Stilio is a full Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Washington. As a plant evolutionary biologist, Ver\xf3nica is interested in understanding how the diversity of plant life came to be. In particular, she studies the evolution of plant innovations, like fruits and flowers. She is working to identify how the gene networks for these innovations evolved as well as how specific innovations related to fruits and flowers have evolved. When she\u2019s not at work, Ver\xf3nica enjoys tending to the beautiful flowers in her garden, going on walks with her husband and her dog, cooking, and dancing to music while she cooks. She attended the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina where she completed her undergraduate studies in biology, specializing in plant ecology. After graduating, Ver\xf3nica worked for two years there as a teaching assistant and pollination biologist. Next, she pursued her Ph.D. degree in plant biology at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst). Ver\xf3nica conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Massachusetts and Harvard University before joining the faculty at the University of Washington in 2003. In this interview, she shares more about her life and science.