I grew up in South Africa, and its botanical richness was instrumental in fostering my lifelong passion for plants and desire to understand their biology. In addition to teaching and research, I manage the Biology Department Plant Growth Facilities, which include the Hagfors Center rooftop greenhouse. Here, hundreds of species of plants are curated and nurtured, including species from the Horn of Africa, many understudied crops and crop wild relatives, and a spectacular living wall that houses a collection of epiphytic and cliff-dwelling species. These plants constitute a vital resource to support Augsburg’s research, teaching and outreach activities.
BIOLOGY COURSES TAUGHT AT AUGSBURG
- BIO151: Introductory Biology
- BIO152: Evolution, Ecology and Diversity
- BIO361: Plant Biology
TEACHING INTERESTS AND PHILOSOPHY
I like introducing students to the amazing diversity of species, molecules, structures, processes and adaptations found in biology, and instilling passion and appreciation for these as we explore. Likewise, the diversity in my classroom is an important resource, and I leverage the different experiences and kinds of knowledge that students bring with them to enrich everyone’s learning experience. I believe that science is an inherently creative endeavor, and I want students to get hands-on practice in flexing that scientific curiosity in the lab and classroom. My goal as a teacher is to facilitate the professional development of students, both as critical thinkers skilled in the scientific method, and as accomplished science communicators.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
The Van Eck Lab is focused on the genetic mechanisms plants use to defend themselves against biotic stress. These are very important to understand if we are to keep feeding a growing population in a sustainable manner in the face of climate change. In the lab, we use barley and aphids as a model for plant–insect interactions, and are studying the coevolutionary arms race between these organisms. We use plants and insects raised in the Plant Growth Facilities and high-end molecular techniques to assay changes in plant gene expression and aphid electrophysiology during feeding. We are particularly interested in using wild, undomesticated relatives of barley as a source of novel genes for plant insect resistance, and understanding the role of microbial communities in modulating plant responses to herbivory. For details and recent publications, see lab webpage: https://sites.google.com/augsburg.edu/vanecklab/
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
- Ph.D. Plant Genetics (2011) Colorado State University
- M.Sc. Genetics (2007) University of Pretoria, South Africa
- B.Sc. (Hons) Genetics (2003) University of Pretoria, South Africa