EP. 4 Practicing her craft. Communicating clearly is just another step in the scientific method for this molecular biologist.

Laurie McGraw is speaking with Inspiring Woman Emily Blair a fifth-year Molecular Biology Ph.D. candidate. Emily Blair graduated from Pepperdine University with a B.S. in Biology. As an undergraduate, she volunteered in Dr. Jay Brewster’s Cell Biology lab at Pepperdine and interned in various research positions at E&J Gallo winery. These early research experiences inspired her to pursue her Ph.D. in Plant Biology at UC Riverside. She is currently a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Dawn Nagel’s plant molecular biology lab at UCR. Emily studies how plants protect themselves from temperature extremes at a genetic and molecular level. This work will ultimately inform crop improvement so that plants are more likely to survive despite extreme weather events due to climate change. Long-term, Emily wants to pursue a career where she can translate her knowledge of plant molecular biology between her fellow scientists and executive decision-makers. You can follow Emily on LinkedIn and Instagram and read her publications on Google scholar. Read the transcript here.