Alex Griffin

She/Her

I am queer and I am a plant scientist and ecologist.//

 

I am interested in how plants, soils, and people interact to alter flows of nutrients and carbon through ecosystems. I’ve studied and learned from a range of ecosystems, from croplands to prairies to temperate mixed forests. Currently, I am a master’s student in applied plant sciences at the University of Minnesota, where I study the root architecture and dynamics of a deeply-rooted perennial grass and grain crop, with the aim of improving soil and water quality on agricultural landscapes.

Being queer is a gift, and for me, it is reflected not only in my sexuality and gender identity but also in my commitment to undoing false binaries, challenging systems of oppression, and unearthing interconnections between living and non-living beings. These commitments inform my scientific practice, and I seek to understand how social and political structures shape scientific research, and work towards a more democratic science that supports environmental and food justice efforts.

Outside of scientific research and teaching, I also play guitar and banjo, repair old bicycles, and grow many kinds of hot peppers.