NC State Plant and Microbial Biology

🎓Congratulations to all of our Spring 2026 Graduates! 👏We are so proud of each and every one of you! Thank you for filling our department with your passion, resilience, and wonder. As you step into your next chapter, carry your spark with you... The one that sees possibility in every petri dish, every leaf, every unanswered question. ✨We cannot wait to see where you grow next! #NCSU #ThinkandDo #PlantBiology #Microbiology

🌟We’re shining a spotlight on four of our graduating students! Each of them found their way into our department through different experiences, mentors, and moments of curiosity. 🌿Hear about how they first got into our department, how they grew through their favorite classes, connected with mentors, and immersed themselves in hands‑on research that shaped their time in the department. 🔎If you’re excited to learn more about these amazing students, their plans for post graduation and hear the thoughtful advice they have for those following in their footsteps, be sure to check it out the article on our website! #NCSU #ThinkandDo #PlantBiology #MicroialBiology

🥳We had so much fun at our annual end of the semester ice cream social last week. Thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated the end of the semester with us! 🏅Congratulations to all of our award winners: Chilton Award Recipient(s): - Allison Lassiter - Kensi Bell Whitford Award Recipient: - Caitlyn Elliott Outstanding Major: - Shriya Reddy Outstanding Academic Achievement: - Hannah Davis Sebastian Award Recipient: - Ellis Bosarge - Erin Emott Susan Vitello Award: - K Brinson 🌟We are so glad to have such an amazing department full of bright and talented students! #NCSU #ThinkandDo #PlantBiology #Microbiology

🌱Last month, the new exhibit in the D.H. Hill Library Exhibit Gallery called Reading the Natural World: Histories of Science on the Page was debuted! 📖The exhibit focuses on the aspects of the field of natural history as reflected in the NC State University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center Rare Books Collection. 🌾If you find the time, you should go check it out! Especially since a selection of specimens from the Vascular Plant Herbarium will be in rotation at this exhibit! @ncsulibraries @ncstatecals #NCSU #ThinkandDo #PlantBiology

💫Congratulations to Caitlyn Elliott who was 1 of 3 NC State students selected as a 2026 Barry Goldwater Scholarship Recipient. Elliott is a third-year plant biology and biochemistry student, who has conducted research in the Perera Lab for over 3 years. 🏅The Goldwater Scholarship is a prestigious undergraduate award for sophomores and juniors intending to pursue research careers in STEM (natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering). It provides up to $7,500 per year for tuition, fees, books, and housing to support students with strong academic records and research potential. 🐺This is a great honor and we are so proud of Caitlyn! Congratulations! #NCSU #ThinkandDo #PlantBiology

✨Congratulations to Shriya Reddy on receiving the 2026 CALS Outstanding Scholar Award! This award recognizes outstanding students and their achievements that contribute to the strength of the CALS academic community. As a Plant Biology student, Shriya continues to impress with her dedication, curiosity, and academic excellence. 🌿We are so incredibly proud of her accomplishments and excited to see where her passion for plant science takes her next. @ncstatecals #NCSU #ThinkandDo #PlantBiology

🎉Congratulations to Dr. José Alonso on having been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the world’s most important and influential scientific societies. He is one of only two NC State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty members to be recognized with this honor. He was elected for distinguished and continuing achievements in original research with plant hormones, auxin and ethylene. He is one of 120 U.S. members and 25 international members elected in 2026. 🌱Dr. Alonso studies molecular circuits in plants to answer fundamental questions about how they grow and respond to the environment. He has focused on molecular circuits — networks within plants that respond to signals from cells and the external environment. He has explored interactions involving two plant hormones, ethylene and auxin, that control plant growth, development and responses to stress. 👏We are incredibly excited for Dr. Alonso to receive this prestigious recognition and grateful to have him as a part of our team! @ncstate @ncstatecals @thenasciences #NCSU #ThinkandDo #PlantBiology #Microbiology

👏Congratulations to Dr. Marcela Pierce on winning the 2025-2026 CALS Teaching Award of Merit! This is an award honoring outstanding educators who help shape academic success. 🌱Dr. Pierce is a cherished professor and teaches a hands-on lab in PB 422/522 along with Dr Imara Perera! Her research focuses on vacuole biogenesis, vesicle trafficking, and plant environmental responses. This is a well-deserved honor and reflects the impact she makes every day in the classroom, the lab, and the lives of her students. ✨We are so proud of her and this amazing accomplishment! Congratulations Dr. Pierce! @ncstatecals #NCSU #ThinkandDo #PlantBiology #Microbiology

🎉Congratulations to Anna Yaschenko on winning the 2026 Kenneth R. Keller Award! This is an award honoring excellence in doctoral dissertation research within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). 🪴Anna was a graduate student in The Alonso-Stepanova Lab studying the effect of promoter architecture on gene expression levels in plants using a synthetic transcription factor and its complementary binding motif to test synthetic constructs via agroinfiltration in tobacco. ⭐We are so proud of her and this amazing accomplishment! Congratulations Anna! @ncstatecals #NCSU #ThinkandDo #PlantBiology

🌿Happy Last day of class! 📚Congrats from all of us in the Department of Plant & Microbial Biology! You made it through another semester! Now it’s time to buckle down for exams, finish strong, and show all that hard work what you’re made of. ⛱️Once you’ve crushed finals, we hope you get a summer full of sunshine, rest, and whatever makes you feel recharged. You’ve earned it. ☀️Have an amazing summer, and don’t forget to check back here for PMB updates, stories, and all things plants and microbes. #NCSU #ThinkandDo #PlantBiology #Microbiology #LDOC

🎉Congratulations to Madaris Serrano-Perez on winning the 2026 CALS Excellence in Safety Award! This award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to champion safety in their work environment and promote a culture of safety consciousness. 🦠Madaris is a researcher and laboratory technician in the Choudoir Lab. She focuses on ecological processes driving plant and microbe interactions within agro-ecosystems. 👏We are so proud of her and this amazing accomplishment! Congratulations Madaris! @ncstatecals #NCSU #ThinkandDo #Microbiology

🐝 The BeeMORE program is one of two recipients of The CALS Spirit of the Land-Grant Award, which recognizes individuals or teams who exemplify the CALS land-grant mission through impactful projects or programs in discovery, engagement and learning.  🌻The BeeMORE program is a 10 week summer research experience that  focuses on building awareness and fundamental skills in the areas of microbiology and bee biology. The program gives  undergraduates the opportunity to investigate a variety of topics that highlight the importance of bees as pollinators, the role of pollinators in crop productivity, the importance of microbes in earth ecology, and the specific role of microbes in bee health and disease. This is an incredible honor and we are so proud of the BeeMORE team!  @NCStateCALS #ncstate #ThinkandDo #Microbiology #BeeMORE #pollinators