Hey WISE people! Please join us for our next meeting on Wednesday May 3, 1-2pm in Lab 1 3033. Everyone welcome!

Spring is here! Flowers are blooming. Birds are chirping. Spring fungi are sprouting! Here’s a little note about a women scientists who has inspired me to study plants and in particular the magical world of fungi.

You may have heard of Beatrix Potter, an English writer and  illustrator, famous for her children’s books such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Her playful illustrations of talking animals were based on careful observations of the natural world around her.

In addition to her love of animals, Ms. Potter was quite accomplished in the  field of mycology, or the study of fungi.  You can read more about the controversy that unfolded when she proposed a new theory of fungal spore germination based on her microscopic studies here.