Academia Career Panel
Panelists answered questions about working in academia, their career journey, and more!
This event was created by the Grad, Postdoc, and Tech Network Volunteers.
SPEAKERS
Dr. Veena Veena
Director, Plant Transformation Facility
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Biography
Dr. Margaret Young is a tenured Associate Professor of Biology at Elizabeth City State University. She currently teaches courses in General Botany, Molecular Biology, and Applied Statistics. She recently stepped down as the Director of Undergraduate Research. She has had several federal and local grants to improve the teaching of plant sciences and molecular biology. Dr. Young has maintained an active research lab in plant tissue culture and transformation of recalcitrant plants; and has mentored over 30 undergrad students. She is an active member of several societies. She was a recent member of the Board of Port Discover (NENC center for youth science); and mentors online high school biology students as part of PlantingScience (https://plantingscience.org/). Dr. Young has a BS double major in Chemistry and Botany, a MPhil in Botany (plant genetics) from University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica; and a PhD in Horticulture (plant molecular biology) from Mississippi State University (MSU). She also did postdoctoral research at MSU; and taught high school biology for six years in Jamaica.
Biography
I am a Full Professor at the University of São Paulo (USP), specializing in plant physiology and genetics. I earned my Ph.D. in 1998 from USP, focusing on hormonal control of plant development, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at USP (1999) and a sabbatical at Lancaster University (2006–2007). Currently, my research focuses on trichome development, insect resistance, and fruit ripening in tomatoes. Over the years, I have published over 100 scientific articles and supervised numerous graduate students and postdocs. My work has advanced the understanding of key aspects of plant development using tomato as a model, including its role in domestication. I have received major research grants from CNPq and FAPESP, supporting innovative studies in plant science. Collaborating with international institutions such as INP/ENSAT in France and the University of Amsterdam, I have contributed to global research efforts. My studies have provided valuable insights into tomato breeding for stress tolerance and pest resistance.