Donald R. Kaplan Memorial Lecture

Dr. Pamela Diggle, University of Connecticut

Sunday A. Adeniran, University of Ilorin

Ellie Becklund, University of Connecticut and Ohio University

Timothy James Biewer-Heisler, Indiana University

Betsy Justus Briju, G.S.Gawande College

Marco Chiminazzo, São Paulo State University (UNESP)

Dylan Cohen, Chicago Botanic Garden

Israel L. Cunha-Neto, New York University

Hilary Rose Dawson, Australian National University

Jessamine Finch, Atlanta Botanical Garden

Vikas Garhwal, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata

Ash Hamilton, University of Chicago / The Morton Arboretum

Wen-Hsi Kuo, Missouri Botanical Garden

Isabela Lima Borges, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Oranys Marin, University of Utah

Mason McNair, Michigan State University

Damilola Odumade, University of Kansas

Rebecca Penny, Aquinas College

Diana Karen Pérez Lara, EAFIT University

Malka Sava, Quaid-i-Azam University

Nathalia Susin Streher, University of Pittsburgh

Mariana Vazquez, Connecticut College

Yannick Woudstra, Stockholm University

Eric Yee, University of Pittsburgh

Wenbin Zhou, UNC Chapel Hill

Rina Talaba, Chicago Botanic Gardens and Northwestern University

Katherine Wolcott, University of Miami

Jenny Xiang

Outgoing BSA Student Representative to the Board

Josh Felton

Donald R. Kaplan Dissertation Award in Comparative Morphology
This award was created to promote research in plant comparative morphology. The Kaplan family has established an endowed fund, administered through the Botanical Society of America, to support the Ph.D. research of graduate students in this area.

Oluwatobi Oso, Yale University, for the Proposal: Comparative Morphology of Leaf Development: Bud Packing and Cellular Mechanisms Driving Evolution Across Latitudinal Gradients.

HONORABLE MENTION:
Christopher Joaquín Muñoz, The University of Texas at El Paso, for the Proposal: Trait Evolution in Hebecarpa (Polygalaceae).

The BSA Undergraduate Student Research Awards
The BSA Undergraduate Student Research Awards support undergraduate student research and are made on the basis of research proposals and letters of recommendation.

Andrew Conlon, Emory University, For the Proposal: Determining Selective Cytotoxic and Antibiotic Properties of Teucrium flavum L. for Public Safety and Medical Advancement. Co-authors: Dr. Cassandra Quave, Dr. Tharanga Samarakoon, Nadia Aziz, Marco Caputo

Lena Kadau, University of South Carolina, For the Proposal: Seed Mucilage Trait Evolution Across Populations and Species of Linum.

Will Pearce, University of Utah, For the Proposal: Intraspecific Variation and Species Boundaries of the Desert Gooseberries (Ribes series microphylla). Co-author: Dr. Rodolfo Probst

Alex Risdal, Loyola University Chicago, For the Proposal: Habitat Evaluation and Species Distribution Modeling for Michigan’s Bladderworts (Utricularia spp.). Co-authors: Dr. Brian Ohsowski, Dr. Mike Grillo, Shane Lishawa

Nicole Stark, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, For the Proposal: Uncovering the Origin and Genomic Mechanism of Dioecy in the Family Fabaceae.

Brooke C. Tillotson, SUNY Cortland, For the Proposal: Investigating the correlation between homeolog bias and differences in phenotype and pigment composition in Nicotiana quadrivalvis and N. clevelandii allopolyploids.

The Botany and Beyond: PLANTS Grants Recipients
The PLANTS (Preparing Leaders and Nurturing Tomorrow’s Scientists: Increasing the diversity of plant scientists) program recognizes outstanding undergraduates from diverse backgrounds and provides travel grant.

Ormary Alvarez, Lehman College, Advisor: Cecilia Zumajo

Mickie Barraza, New Mexico State University, Advisor: Sara Fuentes -Soriano

Abbigale Baum, Utah Valley University, Advisor: Michael C. Rotter

Kathryn Bourlier, Old Dominion University, Advisor: Erik Yando

Leo Case, Oregon State University, Advisor: Gail Langellotto

Gianna Claude, Old Dominion University, Advisor: Nicholas Flanders

James Davis, Oklahoma state university, Advisor: Cody Howard

Muriel Draper, Old Dominion University, Advisor: Erik Yando

Marissa Falla, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Advisor: Mare Nazaire

Nova Hodgson, Oregon State University, Advisor: Gar Rothwell

Abigail Kohn, University of Michigan, Advisor: Selena Smith

Jada Martinez, University of North Texas, Advisor: Elinor Lichtenberg

Marissa Mc Lean, SUNY Cortland, Advisor: Elizabeth McCarthy

Victor Melendez Maldonado, Christopher Newport University, Advisor: Janet Steven

Maylin On, Cal Poly Humboldt, Advisor: Alana Chin

Tyler Radtke, University of Florida, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Advisor: Pam Soltis, Doug Soltis

Andrew Ruegsegger, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Advisor: Maribeth Latvis

Charlotte Saltsman, Murray State University, Advisor: Ingrid Jordon-Thaden

Icyss Sargeant, Louisiana State University, Advisor: Laura Lagomarsino

Alysha Schjelderup, University of California Santa Cruz, Advisor: Jarmilla Pitterman

Dailyn Wold, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, Advisor: Nora Mitchell

The BSA Student and PostDoc Travel Awards
Winners were selected by lottery

Dan J. Coles

Amadeu dos Santos-Neto

Vandana Gurung

Kiona A. Leeman

Whitney Murchison-Kastner

Kasey K. Pham

Mia Stevens

Marisa Blake Szubryt

Yannick Woudstra

Matthew Yamamoto

Awards for Students - Given by the Sections

Student Presentation and Poster Awards

Student Travel Awards

Southeastern Section Student Presentation Awards
The following winners were selected from the Association of Southeastern Biologists meeting that took place at the end of March, 2025.

Southeastern Section Paper Presentation Award
Daniel Stanton, UF IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center

Southeastern Section Poster Presentation Award
Annabelle Mayes, Georgia Southern University

Bryological and Lichenological Section Student Travel Awards

Jeremy Howland, City University of New York, Advisor: James Lendemer, For the Presentation: Karinomyces (Pilocarpaceae), a new genus for the Appalachian endemic Schadonia saulskelleyana supported by molecular and phenotypic data

Zoe Ryan, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Advisor: Ken Cameron, For the Presentation: Open-source software integration: A tutorial on species distribution mapping and ecological niche modeling

Developmental & Structural Section Student Travel Awards

Sarita Munoz-Gomez, Auburn University; Advisor: Daniel S. Jones; For the Presentation: Dioecy and sex determination across the development of the dioecious genus Baccharis (Asteraceae)

Austin Nguyen, University of Kansas; Advisor: Kelly Matsunaga; For the Presentation: Duplication and subfunctionalization of AGAMOUS genes in the cypress family (Cupressaceae)

Ecological Section Student Travel Awards

Arezoo Fani, University of Kansas; Advisor: John Kelly; For the Presentation: Transgenerational Plasticity Enhances Offspring Fitness in Competitive Environments Through Epigenetic Mechanisms

Jill M. Love, Tulane University; Advisor: Kathleen Ferris; For the Presentation: Investigating the adaptive significance of leaf shape plasticity in a California endemic plant, Mimulus laciniatus

Alex Risdal, Loyola University Chicago; Advisor: Brian Ohsowski; For the Presentation: Modeling a Murderer: Determining the Ecological Requirements of Michigan’s Bladderworts

Genetics Section Student Travel Awards

Seongyeon Kang, University of Arizona, Advisor: Michael S. Barker, For the Presentation: Inferring ancient tetraploidy and hexaploidy using a machine learning approach. Co-authors: Michael McKibben and Michael S. Barker

Pteridological Section & American Fern Society Student Travel Awards

Max Botz, University of Minnesota Duluth, Advisor: Amanda Grusz, For the Presentation: Does abiotic environment shape patterns of polyploidy and reproductive mode in ferns?

Dusty Prater, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Advisor: Jacob S. Suissa, For the Presentation: Putting ferns on the map: global patterns of wide-ranging fern species

Systematics Section Student Travel Awards

Mahima Dixit – Claremont Graduate University/California Botanic Garden

Jared B. Meek – Columbia University

Vernon I. Cheadle Student Travel Awards (BSA in association with the Developmental and Structural Section)

This award was named in honor of the memory and work of Dr. Vernon I. Cheadle.

Andrea D. Appleton, Harvard University, Advisor: Elena Kramer, For the Presentation: Morphological and developmental novelties within the intricate androecium of Loasaceae

Jaxon Reiter, University of Lethbridge, Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Schultz, For the Presentations: “Alles ist Blatt ” — The Role of Auxin in Gynoecium Development: Insights from Leaf Patterning Genes and Ovule Defects in Arabidopsis thaliana PIN Localization Pathway Mutants Lead to Reduced Seed Set

Niall S. Whalen, Florida State University, Advisor: Gregory Erickson, For the Presentation: Phytolith Morphological Diversity Across the Gymnosperm Phylogeny—Implications for Phytolith Evolution and Their Paleobotanical Applications