Hi everyone! My name is Chris Perrone and I’m an rising senior with a major in molecular biology, minor in chemistry and certificates in sustainability and GIS. This will be my first time participating in independent research. This past summer I worked for the New York City Department of Health which gave me some exposure to the corporate world and helped me make my decision to pursue research as I didn’t seem to find much fulfillment from that position. I have since then found an immense interest in the living world; specifically plant life and function.

The focus of my project will attempt to address how changes to climate influence changes in the timing of life cycle events in plants with a specific focus on Lindera benzoin, a PA native, commonly known as Spicebush. I chose this species specifically because it is dioecious meaning that it has male and female varieties. In order for this species to successfully reproduce, both male and female individuals must be flowering at the same time so that cross pollination may occur. My study hopes to explore whether or not males or females are more susceptible to changes in their flowering date in response to changes in mean annual Spring temperatures. Another component of this study is a bias study within herbarium collections. Within the Carnegie Museum’s own collection, there is a prominent sex bias in L. benzoin with male specimens greatly outnumbering female specimens. I will be gathering data on the sex ratios of other local and nonlocal herbariums in order to determine whether this issue is localized or is more widespread. The final component of my research is a fieldwork study in which I have already located a total of roughly 250 individuals of L. benzoin in 10 different populations. I will be measuring sex ratios in these populations and attempting to see if differing sex ratios exist, and subsequently whether or not these differences can be attributed to a number of environmental factors. I will be carrying out this research with Dr. Mason Heberling at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. The importance of this research lies in the fact that there is insurmountable evidence that our planet is experiencing drastic changes in its climate in terms of annual average temperature increases. As we are reaching highs the likes of which we have not seen in this lifetime we have very little knowledge of the effects of these changes on local plant life. This study hopes to provide insight as to how the future of this species and many others like it could be threatened by these changes and potentially encourage action against these changes.

Currently, I am interested in applying to graduate school this coming fall. My hope is to pursue my masters in Botany or a related field. In terms of career I am not as sure what I hope to do, but I have extensive interest in conservation work. My current knowledge on the admission process and what to expect when it comes to graduate school is extremely limited. I believe that Brackenridge, through speaking with my peers and academic advisors, will give me the knowledge or at least the start that need in order to feel more confident about the choices that I make when it comes to graduate school.