New program for plant researchers at Atlanta Botanical Garden seeks diverse applicants

WSBTV.com News Staff
·2 min read

Scientists are trying to save the environment and bring more people into the field of plant research, and they’re doing it at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

RaMP, or Research and Mentoring for Post-Baccalaureates, is a year-long paid research program for plant sciences.

Research programs are valuable and provide more confidence to students trying to get a job or pursue graduate studies.

“I can do this on my own. I can do this independently. And I think I can see myself doing this in the future,” Ph.D. student in Plant Biology, Summer Blanco said.

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Applications for RaMP are encouraged by people from demographics that have historically not been included in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

“Underrepresented minorities, gender minorities, queer people, people of color, all sorts of applicants. We’re really trying to diversify the sciences through this program,” Lauren Eserman-Campbell, research scientist in genetics at Atlanta Botanical Garden said.

Participants will conduct research with experienced plant conservationists.

The research will include conservation ecology, horticulture, seed banking, and many studies related to rare plant conservation.

This work is critical, as two in five plant species are threatened with extinction.

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Emily Coffey, vice president of conservation and research at Atlanta Botanical Garden said habitat loss, land conversion, and climate change have led to a loss of biodiversity.

“Our increasing frequency and hurricanes and intensity of hurricanes. We have several research sites that have been impacted and we have lost species because of natural disasters,” Coffey said.

The program will help train the next generation of scientists to help meet some of those challenges.

“I think opportunities like this will open the doors for more diversity and really have our field excel,” Blanco said.

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