Kai+Blaisdell

I grew up on the coast in rural Maine, and earned my Bachelor’s degree in Biology at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Before I started graduate school I worked for the USGS on a project near Ontario, Oregon, whose aim was to reduce cheat grass populations in the area and revitalize native plant populations.

I am a fifth year graduate student in the Biology department, in Dr. Bitty Roy’s lab. I study plant ecology, plant species that are introduced to the United States from Europe and Asia, and the reasons that these introduced species tend to be weedy and aggressive. Introduced plant species cost billions of dollars each year in agricultural losses, natural habitat loss, and other areas. As a graduate student I have been a teaching assistant at the University for several biology courses.

I have volunteered as a mentor in the Eugene community through Committed Partners for Youth. This is my first year in the GK-12 program, and I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with teachers and work with elementary students. Outside of research, I enjoy jogging, hiking, yoga, salsa dancing, cooking, and a good book.