Melissa Mai didn’t expect to work with plants when she came to Harvard. However, she was drawn to the Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences by the ability to rotate through different labs before choosing a final research topic. And once she started learning about the physical problems faced by plants and their relationship to the environment, she knew she had found her place at the intersection between biophysics and plant physiology.
Mai is pursuing a doctorate in biophysics. Her work focuses on the structural basis of transport within plants through the study of salt management in desert shrubs, sugar traffic in conifer leaves, and methane emissions from wetland trees.
She has had many unique experiences during her time at Harvard, from conducting research in Chile and Denmark, to mentoring students from underrepresented backgrounds, teaching a course on generative AI, working with the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and even leading bog crawls around New England!
These stories and more are made possible by the Harvard College Fund and Graduate School Fund. Learn more in the Impact of Giving: Annual Report of Associates.