Melissa Lehrer
Research Interests
My dissertation work focuses on quantifying the
drought response in the grain crop Sorghum. More specifically, I am
interested in: 1) identifying phenotypic indicators of grain yield maintenance
in response to repeated and prolonged drought exposure, and 2) shedding light
on the drought stress recovery and/or memory responses at the molecular and
physiological levels.
Presentations
North American Plant Phenotyping Network
Conference 2021
Maize Genetics Meeting 2021
Roanoke College Alumni Seminar
Series 2021
Awards
Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year (2018-2019)
Disciplinary Breadth Award: Maize Genetics Meeting (2021)
Graduate Student
Productivity Award (2021)
David Blaydes Biology Dissertation Scholarship
(2021)
Service
Peer Support Graduate Associate (January 2020 -
Present)
Diversifying Graduate Education and Recruitment Committee (September
2020 - Present)
Department of Biology: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Committee (March 2021 - Present)
Teaching Interests
Plant
Biology/Physiology
Model Organisms in Biological Research
Genetics and
Genomics
Molecular Biology
Scientific Writing