Dr. Jennifer Blake-Mahmud is a reproductive eco-physiologist. She is interested in how, when and under what conditions organisms reproduce and what that means for their physiology. She is curious about how these reproductive decisions affect demography, or the long-term stability and functioning of populations. To learn more about her research, both past and present, and to see an updated list of peer-reviewed scientific publications, please visit her lab webpage.

Dr. Blake-Mahmud investigates these questions in big plants (like trees) and little plants (like ferns). Though she enjoys plants of all kinds, she has a special fondness for woodland plants such as mosses, lichens, ferns, trees and fungi (which are not plants, but are still charming). She conducts work in the field, in the lab, in the greenhouse and in the herbarium. In addition to plant sex, ecology and physiology, Dr. Blake-Mahmud is interested in urban ecology, traditional ecological knowledge, the construction of wilderness and the intersection of ecology, religion, race and gender.

If you are interested in similar topics, please apply to be part of the plant sex team. You can find out more about the Blake-Mahmud Lab’s mission and vision and mentoring philosophy on her website, as well as information on the type of skills you would gain by being part of the lab.

Dr. Blake-Mahmud holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Vanderbilt University with minors in German and astronomy. She taught in the public and private school systems in Texas and did post-baccalaureate work in ecology at the University of Houston. She completed her doctoral work in ecology and evolution at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and postdoctoral work at Princeton University and Colgate University.

Dr. Blake-Mahmud’s pedagogical interests include authentic assessment techniques and inclusive teaching practices. She has taught the following classes:

• Ecology
• The Evolution of Sex across the Tree of Life
• Ethno-, Forensic and Medicinal Botany
• Cultivating Wildness
• The Secret Sex Lives of Plants
• The Urban Ecology of Weeds

See pictures from these classes, examples of outstanding student work, and publicity from both her educational and research endeavors on her website.