Dan Stover

He/Him

I am gay and I am a root ecologists/ federal program manager.//

 

I’m a federal program manager with responsibilities for an environmental systems science research funding program, as well as serving as a senior advisor for our office of diversity, inclusion, and research integrity. My PhD is in ecological sciences where I focused on understanding the impacts of elevated CO2 on root systems in a FL coastal scrub forest. Early in my graduate career, I decided it was time to open up about my sexuality and was thankful to have a wonderfully supportive mentor and peer network. Strong mentoring empowered me to be successful and to feel safe in my career. Although I no longer manage my own lab, I believe that mentoring early career researchers is critical to the success of the scientific enterprise. My career path has allowed me to work in the academic, non-profit, and governmental worlds and dabble in research, teaching, and management. Trust me, there’s no single way you can contribute to science, so I encourage everyone to explore every option to figure out what works best for you! Finally, a favorite part of my current job is to help bring together diverse and collaborative research teams that can tackle major ecological and transdisciplinary science.

If you have questions or need mentoring support, please reach out!