I am a Ph.D. student in the Plant Biology Graduate Group at UC Davis in the Dubcovsky lab. My research is focused on characterizing the genes involved in the regulation of spike meristem development in wheat. This research will be used to advance breeding for greater yield on a per-spike basis. My work is funded in part by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Following my Ph.D., I intend to pursue a career in academia focused on research in plant development.