Cornell University
Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology
Ithaca, NY 14853

August 200-present MS student, Plant Pathology; Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, Cornell University

January 2004, B.A. in Biology (with honors), Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Graduate Advisor: Teresa Pawlowska

Research Focus     

I am investigating the population structure, distribution, and ecological role of endosymbiotic bacteria (BLOs) of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). AMF are a large component of terrestrial ecosystems and associate with about 80% of land plants, including plants of both agricultural and natural communities. Yet even though BLOs of AMF have been known since the 1970s very little is known about this component of the three partite symbiosis. I am using AMF from coastal sand dunes as a model system.

Links to Recent and Current Projects    

http://www.plantpath.cornell.edu/Labs/Pawlowska/Kara.html

Professional Experience     

2005 – Graduate teaching assistant, BioG 109-110: Introductory Biology for Non-Majors, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

2004 – NPDN Extension Associate I: Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Awards and Honors     

2004 Graduated Summa cum Laude
2003 MCLA Biology Department Scholarship
2001– 2003 MCLA Dean's list

Elected and Appointed Offices     

2002-2003 – Member of the Biology Department Curriculum Committee, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams, MA
2003–Perspective student open house Biology department student representative, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams, MA

Professional Societies and Working Groups     

Mycological Society of America
Ecological Society of America

Publications     

Pivarski, Kara L. and Pawlowska, Teresa. Population structure of endosymbiotic bacteria associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi- Mycological Society of America, Annual Meeting (Poster)