Honoring Women in Science

In honor of Women’s History Month, the Biodiversity Institute & KU Natural History Museum celebrated women in science on Saturday, March 26.

Local scientists set up booths for the day, including Maggie Wagner, ecology and evolutionary biology assistant professor, and Ph.D. student Ceyda Kural, to share their science expertise with the community.

Those attending were able to participate in hands-on experiments, learn about different careers in science, and also learn about women scientists from around the globe.

Kural is specifically interested in plant microbe interactions, as well as phenotypic changes across environmental gradients.

Wagner and Kural talked with visitors about how plants have microbiomes that are important for their health, just like people do.

They also had microscopes set up where visitors could view fungi colonizing grass roots. The booth also included hands-on activity where visitors could plate out plant roots and leaves on agar, to take home and observe fungal growth over the next few days.