People

Post Doctoral Training:  Miller Institute for Basic Research, UC Berkeley, advisor: Dr. Todd Dawson

Doctoral Training:  University of Utah, advisor: Dr. John Sperry

MSc University of Toronto, advisor: Dr. Rowan Sage

B. Arts & Sci.  McMaster University, advisor: Dr. John Lott

jpitterm@ucsc.edu

I am broadly interested in how plants work, and the physiological means by which plants adapt to their environment. I consider these strategies in the framework of ecology, evolution, and extreme weather, and focus my efforts on plant water transport, specifically the structure and function of vascular tissue.

Avery arrived from Smith College with a background in plant ecophysiology. A talented scientist and artist, Avery received both the Cota Robles and NSF GRFP awards. His research interests center around integrated traits that predict tree drought stress response and recovery. More information can be found 'here'. 

My interests are in how plants function within an ecosystem, and how their physiology can alter based on plant communities and disturbances. My current research is investigating how fire impacts drought adaptations in plants under different community assemblages and across geographic regions. I conduct a lot of fieldwork in California, with a corresponding amount of lab work, and it's that balance that I love about what I do. (Click on photo for link to personal website)

Vidi has an MSc from Cal State Bakersfield where she investigated chaparral plants, specifically looking at plant hydraulic responses to drought. She will continue in this line of inquiry, expanding her interests to answer broader questions in plant structure and function.

Ryan is interested in how fire affects xylem and vascular cambium in trees. He uses multiple approaches to study structure and function, and infer how the vascular response couples to post-fire recovery. (Click on photo for link to personal website)

Scottie is interested in physiological constraints of plant communities under high stress. Her Master's looks at drought impacts on vascular tissue viability and recovery dynamics in coast redwood saplings. She hopes to branch the gap between plant physiology and forest ecology

Alex has completed a Master's degree in plant hydraulics at Cal State, Bakersfield and is continuing to pursue his interests in plant biology 

Dr. Burns received her B.Sc. at UC Davis followed by a Ph.D. at UC Berkeley in Dr. Todd Dawson's lab.  Emily is currently the Program Director at Sky Island Alliance.

My lab will have an opening for one doctoral student starting in the fall of 2027! Unfortunately, I cannot support MSc students at this time. Feel free to contact me for additional information (jpitterm@ucsc.edu).

I enjoy mentoring students with a broad interest in plant physiology, evolution, and structure and function. Methods in our lab involve a combination of field campaigns (collecting samples, using instruments to assess water potential, photosynthesis, etc.), hydraulic measures, anatomy, and other approaches, depending on the question. 

I provide students with guidance on 1. developing a thesis project that is rewarding, achievable, and has the potential to make an important contribution, 2. developing a research plan, 3. manuscript preparation, and 4. preparation of grant proposals. Securing your research funding is a necessary aspect of scholarly and professional activity and I expect students to think creatively and to pro-actively seek support for their projects.

I strongly encourage students to apply for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, which provides three years of support. Information about our department, application deadlines, etc. can be found here.