Bianca Knoll
Curriculum Vitae
Mary Jessica "Bianca" Knoll
Department of Integrative Biology
3060 Valley Life Sciences Building
University of California, Berkeley CA 94720
Phone: (510) 643-9556
Fax: (510) 643-6264
pteris at berkeley dot edu
Education
- 2004 - present
- University of California, Berkeley. Doctoral student, Department of Integrative Biology, Mishler Laboratory.
- 2002 - 2003
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Graduate School of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning.
- 1998 - 2002
- Macalester College, St. Paul, MN. Bachelor of Arts Degree, Magna Cum Laude. Environmental Studies Major, Biology Core, German Studies Minor.
- Fall 2000
- Centre for Rainforest Studies, Queensland, Australia. Tropical Forest Restoration Program.
Teaching and Research Experience
- 2006
- Graduate Student Instructor, IB 168: Systematics of Vascular Plants, University of California, Berkeley.
- 2004 - 2005
- Graduate Student Instructor, Biology 1B, University of
California, Berkeley.
Instructed up to 35 students per semester in General Biology laboratory and discussion sections; developed original curricula, lab exercises, and teaching aides; mentored new graduate student instructors. - 2004 - present
- Independent Research, University of California, Berkeley.
- Evolution of metal/metalloid hyperaccumulation across plant taxa, with special consideration of leptosporangiate fern clades.
- 2003 - 2004
- Teacher’s Assistant, Special Education, St. Paul Public Schools, St. Paul, MN.
- Worked one-on-one with senior high school students with autism spectrum disorders.
- 2002 - 2003
- Plant Propagation Intern, Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
- Grew plants from seed and cuttings; maintained greenhouse facilities; researched, photographed, and catalogued indoor and outdoor fern collections; attended plant identification and botanical gardens management classes through the graduate school of the University of Pennsylvania.
- 2001 - 2003
- Lepidopterist, Monarchs Forever, Saint Paul, MN.
- Raised butterflies for research and educational exhibits; performed interpretation; prepared museum-quality specimens.
- 2001 - 2002
- Herbarium Curator, Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN.
Collected, identified, pressed, and catalogued specimens of Minnesota’s native flora; created an historical herbarium; compiled a teaching guide for Field Botany courses. - 2000
- Independent and Group Research, Centre for Rainforest Studies, Queensland, Australia.
- Researched the ecology of Solanum mauritianum, an invasive plant in the North Queensland wet tropics; performed local outreach with farmers and schoolchildren; researched effectiveness of rainforest restoration techniques; independently surveyed native ferns on site.
-
2000 - Research Associate, Cedar Creek Natural History Area, Bethel, MN.
- Performed field work on many long-term ecological research projects; collected and processed data; independently researched native ferns.
Academic Honors
- 2005
- Botany in Action Fellow, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Pittsburgh, PA.
- 2002
- Aldo Leopold Award for Excellence in Environmental Studies, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN.
- 1998 - 2002
- Dean’s List, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN.
Contributions and Publications
- 2005
- Cladistics of Early-Diverging Cactus Lineages: A Biology
1B Exercise.
Contributing author, editor, and illustrator.
Campus and Commmunity Envolvement
- 2005 - present
- Statewide Chair of Elections Committee, UAW Local 2865.
Elected position. Organize statewide elections for the union representing academic student employees on all University of California campuses. - 2004 - present
- Union Organizer, UAW Local 2865. On-campus union organizing, particularly in the natural sciences.
- 2004 - present
- Fern Club Member, University and Jepson Herbaria, UC Berkeley.
- 2004 - present
- Volunteer Event Organizer, UC Berkeley Department of Integrative Biology Graduate Student Assembly.