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2023 Gómez-Pompa Keynote SpeakerDr. Naomi Fraga (she/her) is a Research Assistant Professor of Botany at Claremont Graduate University and the Director of Conservation Programs at the California Botanic Garden (formerly Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden) since 2015. She is a botanist focused on plant conservation in the western U.S. Her primary research focus is in plant conservation, rarity and endemism, plant systematics (Phrymaceae), rare plants, and floristics primarily in the Mojave Desert, Transverse Ranges, and southern Sierra Nevada in California. She recently published an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times titled "Your ‘superbloom’ selfie isn’t worth destroying California’s ecosystems", commenting on the anticipated superbloom and the ecological importance of enjoying it respectfully.
Dr. Jason Sexton is an Associate Professor in the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences at UC Merced studying adaptation in a swiftly changing world. His lab researches the many factors that determine species distributions. Specifically, they are interested in plant adaptation and the processes that lead to both local adaptation and speciation in a broad set of ecosystems, from deserts to vernal pools to mountains, and at a wide variety of scales, from genes to plant endophytes (e.g., bacteria and fungi) to plant communities. His lab currently has a variety of research projects in California, Mexico, and Australia that are focused on the effects of environmental change on species range limits, the determinants of specialization (niche breadth), and the role of gene flow on adaptation.
Dr. Ying Sun (she/her) Dr. Ying Sun is a postdoctoral scholar at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where she focuses on identifying genes associated with root development in soybean. Her research analyzes the genomes of legumes in the papilionoid tribe. Prior to joining Salk, Dr. Sun worked on circadian rhythm in plants at UCSD, investigated plant stress tolerance at Stanford University, and worked briefly with the Dynamic Genomes program at UC Riverside. As an advocate for diversity and Salkwomen in science fellow, Dr. Sun founded the APIDAS (Asian Pacific Islanders Desi at Salk) affinity group at Salk to support underrepresented scholars. Additionally, she has a strong interest in entrepreneurship and co-founded Nucleate Eco on the West Coast to encourage graduate students and postdocs to start companies based on their research.
Dr. Siobhan Braybrook (she/they) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at UCLA whose lab is an intersectional feminist research collaborative, grounded in principles of liberation for all and radical inclusion. Their research uses plants and brown algae to study how having a cell wall impacts growth and success in multicellular organisms while putting emphasis on how that knowledge can be leveraged to better our planet. By improving our understanding of cell wall structure and biology, Dr. Braybrook’s research may help facilitate our use of plants and seaweed for biofuels and other products.
Dr. Saarah Kuzay is a Solanaceous Plant Scientist at Unfold who earned her PhD from UC Davis in wheat genetics and breeding. As a PhD candidate, she Discovered WAPO1, a gene that can raise wheat yield potential in a wide range of environments. The high-yield alleles for WAPO1 were deployed and tested in wheat breeding lines at UC Davis and CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center). Now, at Unfold, she has developed a genetic strategy, timeline, and testing program for compact, productive vine-crops designed for vertical farming and indoor agricultural systems. Her projects include developing and assessing gene-stacks, gene discovery & deployment, and measuring plant responses or performance under novel growing conditions.
Elaine Martinez-Lopez (she/her) is a People Operations Specialist at Unfold Bio who earned her BA in Communication Studies, with an emphasis in Interpersonal Communication from California State University Sacramento. Elaine is also a Certified DiSC Practitioner and is working to obtain her SHRM-CP certification. Currently, at Unfold, she oversees a variety of tasks within the HR department, including but not limited to recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding/offboarding, benefits, payroll, employee engagement, etc. She plays a pivotal role in helping to create and apply strategic and innovative Human Resources strategies critical to the success of current and prospective employees - Designed to meet the hiring and retention needs of a fast-growing start-up. Elaine is a people-first person with a goal to create an inclusive and collaborative working environment free from social stigmas, where employees motivate and advocate for one another.
Dr. Kevin Hayes. Kevin Hayes (he/him) serves as the Biotechnology Digital Strategy Lead and a Research Laureate for Corteva Agriscience. In fifteen years with the company, he has led initiatives around Genomics, Protein Structure, Gene Editing, Circadian Rhythms among others. He was Co-Chair of the Corteva New Frontier: Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture in 2021. His primary roles are around data management and analysis of complex datasets and their interpretation and communication. For his work in the Corteva Covid-19 Diagnostic Project, he was awarded the 2021 Iowa Biotechnology Association Leader of the Year.
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