Catherine Espinoza (Cathy) received her bachelor degree in biological sciences from the University of Federico Villarreal, Lima-Peru in 2001. Before coming to MU in 2008, she worked as a research assistant at the Division of Conservation and Characterization of Plant Genetic Resources, International Potato Center (CIP), Lima-Peru (2003-2008), and as a biotechnology and biodiversity consultant at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and Andean Development Corporation (CAF), Lima-Peru (2003). Cathy joined the Stacey lab in 2013 and her dissertation was entitled “Molecular mechanisms of stress tolerance in plants”. We congratulate Cathy on her successful Ph.D. dissertation defense and wish her all the best for a new chapter in her life.

Cathy shares her happy moment after the defense with her Committee and the Stacey lab members