Helen Alexander
As a researcher, I am fascinated by the population biology of plants. Over the years, my work has primarily been in three areas: 1) studies of the ecology and evolution of plant-fungus and plant-virus interactions, 2) research on the population dynamics of wild sunflowers, and the ecology and genetics of hybridization between crop and wild plants, and 3) long-term demographic studies of a rare prairie plant, Mead's milkweed, including using "mark recapture" models to estimate population size, detectability, and probability of survival. As an educator, I teach courses in Kansas plants, conservation biology, biostatistics, and research methods. My outreach and service activities often involve outdoor education and interactions with secondary school teachers. I am currently on phased retirement and do not plan on taking on any new graduate students.
Teaching Interests
- Conservation Biology
- Introduction to Biostatistics
- Research Methods
- Kansas Plants and Landscapes
Research
As a researcher, I am fascinated by the population biology of plants. My work has primarily been in three areas: 1) studies of the ecology and evolution of plant-fungus and plant-virus interactions, 2) research on the population dynamics of wild sunflowers, and the ecology and genetics of hybridization between crop and wild plants, and 3) long-term demographic studies of a rare prairie plant, Mead's milkweed, including using "mark recapture" models to estimate population size, detectability, and probability of survival. As an educator, I teach courses in conservation biology, biostatistics, and research methods. I have been fortunate to win several teaching awards, including a Chancellors Club Teaching Professorship. Finally, my outreach and service activities often involve outdoor education and interactions with secondary school science and math teachers.
Research Interests
- Ecology and evolution of plant-pathogen interactions
- Hybridization between crop and wild plants
- Long-term demography of rare prairie plants
Selected Publications