Research
In my research, I explore how separate sexes (dioecy) and sex chromosomes evolve in plants, using comparative genomics and phylogenetic approaches.
2021, Plant Center Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant, The Plant Center (University of Georgia), Using PacBio HiFi long-reads to assemble the genome for a dioecious species of Asparagus.
2021, Bill Dahl Graduate Student Research Award, Botanical Society of America.
2021, R. C. Lewontin Early Award - Graduate Research Excellence Grant. Society for the Study of Evolution, Identifying and assembling Y-linked genes across the genus Asparagus using short-read sequence data.
Selected Publications
Sharples MT, Bentz PC, Manzitto-Tripp EA. Evolution of apetaly in the cosmopolitan genus Stellaria. American Journal of Botany. 2021 May 12;108(5):869-882. PubMed PMID: 33982285. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.1650
Education
2019 - Admission to Ph.D. program in Department of Plant Biology at University of Georgia.
2017 - Post-baccalaureate in Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at University of Colorado.
2015 - B.S. in Hospitality Management from University of North Texas.
