Each year, the Department of Plant Biology, Ecology and Evolution at Oklahoma State University recognizes one senior undergraduate student for exceptional academic performance, leadership, and commitment to the field. This year, we're proud to share that Lainey Kirshberger, a member of the Castilla Lab, has received the Outstanding Plant Biology, Ecology and Evolution Senior Award. We asked Lainey to reflect on her journey and what this recognition means to her.
 
What drew you to study Plant Biology?
In high school, I had taken a couple of plant science classes and participated in FFA competitions in Nursery and Landscape events, so I wanted to continue learning about and working with plants in college, even though Plant Biology is a bit of a different take on it than my previous agricultural experience.

How did you first get involved in research at OSU, and what led you to join the Castilla Lab?
During my second semester at OSU, I started working on a project in Dr. Shawn Wilder’s nutritional ecology lab focusing on the ability of caterpillars to digest inorganic substances in relation to meeting their limiting nutrient requirements. He had talked about his research throughout the Honors course I took with him the previous semester, and it sounded like a good way to get some lab experience and make professional connections. After working in an animal-focused lab for two years, I wanted to have a similar experience in a Plant Biology lab, so I reached out to the department head to discuss my interests and get suggestions about which labs they would align most closely with. Dr. Castilla was very enthusiastic to meet with me to talk about possible lines of research for me to work on, and that interaction is what ultimately led me to choose this lab.

Can you tell us about the project you worked on in the lab?
My project has been focused on assessing the hybridization patterns and resulting morphological variation in Quercus welshii, a species of desert-adapted oak. This has involved analyzing genetic data to determine the degree of hybridization between our focal species and its close relatives as well as leaf trait measurements to see how much of the within-species variation is due to hybridization.

What does the Outstanding PBEE senior award mean to you?
It feels really good to be recognized for my hard work, and I am honored to be our department’s awardee considering there were so many other deserving candidates this year. The ceremony also provided me the perspective that although I might not have had prestigious internships or have lofty career plans like some of the other awardees, my effort and contribution is not insignificant, and my professors were able to see that and remind me of it with this award.

Do you have any long-term goals in plant biology, conservation, or beyond?
After I graduate, I plan to attend grad school to further prepare for a career in the conservation field. I don’t know exactly what direction I want to go in from there, whether it’s towards research for a university or botanic garden or into education and outreach for a state or private organization, but I want to continue doing meaningful scientific research and working to communicate the importance of those findings to a broader audience.
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What do you enjoy doing outside of science?
I love spending time outside, from hiking to gardening to rowing! The lake really is my happy place and is where I end up spending most of my free time.
 
We're grateful to have had Lainey as part of the Castilla Lab, and we look forward to seeing where her journey leads next. Congratulations again on this well-deserved recognition!

During a recent lab meeting, our team participated in a hands-on workshop focused on using leaf trichomes to identify white oaks. Led by Paul Thomson, the session provided an in-depth look at how these microscopic structures can serve as key diagnostic traits for distinguishing oak species.
Trichomes—tiny hair-like projections found on leaf surfaces—vary in shape, density, and arrangement among species. Paul guided us through the process of preparing leaf samples and using microscopes to examine trichome morphology. By comparing specimens from different species, we gained practical experience in recognizing trichome patterns that are characteristic of white oaks.
This workshop reinforced the value of microstructural traits in oak systematics and expanded our toolkit for species identification. A big thank you to Paul for sharing his expertise and leading an engaging discussion!

This past June, the Castilla Lab attended Botany 2024 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Organized by the Botanical Society of America, this annual conference brought together plant scientists from around the world to share research, exchange ideas, and make connections. It was our first time joining the BSA community, which made it an exciting milestone for the lab. For my students Lana and Gemini, it was their first scientific meeting, adding a personal and meaningful dimension to the experience.

One of the best aspects of the conference I found was the welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. From the moment we arrived, we felt like we belonged the community. I truly think this is very important especially for students attending a scientific meeting for the first time. The environment encouraged open conversations and collaboration, with senior researchers, early-career scientists, and students working together as equals. This supportive atmosphere made it easy to connect with colleagues, share ideas, and receive helpful feedback.

I also found the meeting especially valuable for plant scientists using genetics in their research. The sessions on genomics, conservation genetics, and phylogenetics were particularly insightful, offering new ideas and practical information to advance our work. I really enjoyed the presentations of my colleagues and had the opportunity to have exciting conversations that hopefully will be translated into future collaborations. 

Our lab also had the opportunity to present our research at the conference. We shared our eDNA metabarcoding work examining how landscape features influence estimates of plant diversity. Additionally, Lana and Gemini presented a poster about their landscape genomic analysis of gray oak. We gained valuable feedback from attendees, which will help us refine our studies.

I want to echo the enthusiasm of my undergraduate students, Lana and Gemini, and encourage other undergraduates to consider attending Botany. It’s a great opportunity to engage with the BSA community and share a passion for plant science!

Lana Daniels
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Attending the Botany 2024 conference was a wonderful opportunity to build connections within the plant biology community and bond with my team. It was exciting to hear about what is on the cutting edge of botanical research and proved to be inspirational to my aspirations as a researcher. It was nice to see people of all stages in their academic careers presenting their work. It helped me tune my own strategy for Gemini and I’s poster presentation. I am thankful for the chance to attend Botany and highly recommend it as a to anyone interested in plant science.


Gemini Hoffman

As someone who was very new to presenting at a conference, even after being present at OSU’s undergraduate symposium, Botany 2024 was an enriching experience. When I first thought of the conference, I felt excited but a bit overwhelmed. I’m very glad that I was able to go alongside Antonio and Lana, as it provided a unique opportunity to present research with my coauthor Lana.

The organizers of the event made it easy to navigate DeVos Center. They created an app that allowed everyone to look at the different programs, their times, and locations and I was better able to tailor my own schedule as well as a map, and a How To section for presenting.

Presenting our research through the poster session reminded me a bit of the undergraduate symposium but I would say it was way better. The feedback was encouraging as well as constructive which is something similar to the undergrad symposium, but we also got to spend time before our presentation time mingling around other presenters’ posters which was a lot of fun. There also wasn’t anyone coming around writing reviews, so it also helped me to reframe the idea I had of what a science conference is.

The conference wasn’t just about presenting though, there were lots of social activities that provided a more relaxed environment that allowed me to feel like I could settle in and talk with other attendees. I think my favorite part of the conference was the Belonging in Botany panel discussion. I really appreciated being able to hear the PLANTS alumni talk about their own journeys through science because each panelist had their own unique experience and some of them didn’t stay in academia. It’s not something that you always get to see, and it was very motivational. It was also just really nice to hang out with Lana and Dr. Castilla in a more relaxed environment and get to know them better.

I am really grateful to have attended because although it is a conference, it’s also a celebration of plant science with a vibrant community of people who just want to connect and share their knowledge with others while also having fun.