Richmond professors are constantly delving into new areas of research — but what we love most is how they involve our undergraduate students in their work.

Biology professor and evolutionary ecologist Carrie Wu recently won not one, but two grants for her plant population research — so of course she’s bringing students along with her, giving them firsthand experience working on important studies.

One grant is from the Virginia Native Plant Society to support Wu’s study into the invasion dynamics of wavyleaf basketgrass, a high-risk species in Virginia forests. She and her team of undergraduate research students will use population genetics to access the plant’s patterns and expansion in Virginia and Maryland. 

The other is from the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, which will enable Wu and student researcher Rachel Lantz, ’19, to spend eight weeks in Colorado this summer to examine how populations of the mountain monkeyflower respond to a rapidly changing environment.

“Studies like these provide insight into how environmental stresses, adaptation to these conditions, and evolutionary change are intertwined,” Wu said.

Congrats, Dr. Wu! We’re so excited about these new opportunities for you and your students!