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Welcome to Botanicky

 Botanicky is a space where plant science, teaching, and exploration come together. As a PhD candidate in molecular plant biology, my work centers on understanding how plants regulate aging and respond to environmental stress at the genetic level. Alongside research, I am deeply engaged in teaching, mentoring, and sharing the beauty of scientific discovery. This website brings together; • Research in molecular genetics and plant biology • Academic highlights and professional milestones • Teaching and mentoring experiences • Reflections from travel and nature Botanicky reflects both structured scientific inquiry and the curiosity that first drew me to plants. Thank you for visiting — I invite you to explore. 🌱🌿

Flower Dissection and Fruit Identification

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It was such an exciting day in lab today! Our teaching lab topic was Angiosperms , which meant one of my favorite activities; flower dissection and fruit identification. 🌸 I’ve taught this lab several times before, and I truly enjoy it every single time. We started by introducing the different components of flowers and reviewing fruit types. Then came the fun part. The students got to dissect the flowers themselves and closely examine sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels. There is something special about watching them connect textbook diagrams to real structures in their hands. This time, I tried something new. I sent out a quick sheet asking students to write down their favorite songs, and I played their picks while they worked on their dissections. It turned out to be such a wonderful idea! The atmosphere was relaxed, everyone was more engaged, and the lab felt both focused and joyful. The next part of the lab involved examining different fruits. Many students were shocked (and slig...