Profile

• Time Zone

  Eastern

  
  
• Organization

  Kalamazoo College

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  I am interested in how and why we have differences between organisms! Why do we have different species? My work focuses on a rare group of carnivorous plants from Southeast Asia. My plants eat bugs. But I'm vegetarian!!

  
  
• Profile Question 1

  What is your favorite plant? Why?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 1 here (300 words):

  I study one of the most intriguing groups of plants in the world; carnivorous pitcher plants. These plants have impressive, liquid-filled pitchers in spectacular shapes and forms used to trap animal prey. Isn't that incredible?! Tropical pitcher plants are, therefore in my opinion, the most fascinating and enigmatic living things in the whole world.

  
  
• Profile Question 2

  What is the coolest thing you have discovered or learned about plants?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 2 here (300 words):

  The absolute best thing about tropical pitcher plants is that animals sometimes use them like a toilet. Some species are even shaped like a toilet. Tree shrews in Malaysia, for example, sit and eat nectar in the lid of Nepenthes lowii, and while they are there, they poop right into the plant trap. And the plants love it. Research has shown that the plants use the poop to live and grow. They found this out by tracking the nitrogen from the very poopy start to its use by the plant. Pretty cool work in my book.

  
  
• Profile Question 3

  When and why did you decide to go into a science career?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 3 here (300 words):

  I like science because you can ask endless questions and because you can have so many different answers to allllllllll of those questions. My mom tells me that I asked for flower presses for my birthday, and microscopes for holiday gifts. I decided to make science my career very early in life.

  
  
• Capacity: How many teams at a time are you comfortable working with?

  2

  
  

Recent Posts

ohsellefsonposfall2023 project 2 Rachel Love Nov 7, 2023

Hi Kaylie, You have some fun diverse interests. that's awesome! Haha. I've killed my fair share of plants, so you are in good company there. It takes a bit of practice, and it makes sense to be sad about losing a cool plant Looking…

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Hi Kaylie, You have some fun diverse interests. that's awesome! Haha. I've killed my fair share of plants, so you are in good company there. It takes a bit of practice, and it makes sense to be sad about losing a cool plant Looking forward to seeing your project. Best, Dr. Love

ohsellefsonposfall2023 project 2 Rachel Love Nov 7, 2023

Hi Izzy! That's an awesome sounding farm! You probably get to eat a lot of yummy foods from it. I didn't realize how much better things taste from our farm until I lived abroad in the Netherlands, but you seem like the kind of person to…

more

Hi Izzy! That's an awesome sounding farm! You probably get to eat a lot of yummy foods from it. I didn't realize how much better things taste from our farm until I lived abroad in the Netherlands, but you seem like the kind of person to appreciate it already now. I'm looking forward to working with you Best, Dr. Love

ohsellefsonposfall2023 project 2 Rachel Love Nov 7, 2023

Hi Reegan! Googling Jordan Love now My understanding is that we are not related, but I've been surprised by these things before. Your interest in meteorology is awesome! I also didn't grow up loving to work in a garden, but I was always…

more

Hi Reegan! Googling Jordan Love now My understanding is that we are not related, but I've been surprised by these things before. Your interest in meteorology is awesome! I also didn't grow up loving to work in a garden, but I was always quite curious about all things. I'm looking forward to working with you!