Having not formally studied any plant science subjects, I stumbled into plant development research at the end of my undergraduate studies when I did a research project in the Beveridge lab. From there I became unexpectedly hooked, and continued on to complete my honours and PhD in the lab. During my PhD, I gained new insights into how the strigolactone branching network itself is regulated, and how it coordinately regulates bud outgrowth with other plant hormones (auxin and cytokinin). As time passed, I became increasingly fascinated with how plants can tightly control their development using local and long-distance signals, and so have continued research in this field.
Within the Beveridge lab, I received valuable training, research support, supervision and mentorship, allowing me to conduct quality research and to develop my research and communication skills within a friendly and supportive environment. These experiences, including opportunities to present my work at national and international conferences and to meet with international collaborators, have been invaluable in helping me to establish my career in plant development research.
