 What do you do at the Museum?
I am the collections manager for mycology in the department of botany. The museum has a strong collection of fungi, especially mushroom groups. These specimens are valuable resources for scientific studies. I was hired to take care of those collections as well as to conduct mycological research. I am currently active in a joint research project between China and the United States that is looking at fungal species found in both of those countries but nowhere else in the world. The goals of the project include collecting baseline information useful for maintaining forest ecosystems and obtaining new insights into biogeographic relationships.
How did you become interested in your field?
Before I went to college, I was influenced by reports about skillful scientists using their knowledge to cure plant diseases and to benefit agriculture and forestry. I thought that was the kind of job I'd like to do--to save crops and trees and to benefit society. After an admission test, I was accepted by a university with a strong program in mycology, plant pathology and forest protection. During my college life, I became interested in fungi--organisms that play important roles in ecosystems. Fungi are very diverse in their forms and functions, and they are abundantly interesting.
What do you love about what you do?
I love to join the effort of understanding fungi and their roles in maintaining a healthy environment. My current research interests are fungal biodiversity and biogeography. Biodiversity is mainly concerned with species richness and frequency in an ecosystem. Biogeography is about distribution patterns of organisms through time, ecological changes, and evolution. These are fundamental issues that may affect the outcome of conservation efforts. Fungi have three major functions: as decomposers recycling nutrients, as essential partners in helping plants grow, and as parasites of plants, animals and humans. Because of those important functions, we need to know more about fungi and discover how fungal diversity is related to the health of ecosystems.
Why is conservation important to the world in general?
I think there is a reason for every species to exist on the earth, and some of the reasons we do not know yet. We don’t know exactly how many species are out there. We know very little about what constitutes a harmonious environment and how species are interacting with each other. Unless we preserve these species, we may never have a chance to know. Some species have already disappeared before we learn what benefit they have for the environment and for human. Conservation is a global issue. It requires understanding and effort of different people and cultures. We should treat each other as equal humans, above and beyond gender issues and cultural issues, and work together to preserve the earth.
What does conservation mean to you personally?
My work does not directly address policies or strategies of conservation. It mainly contributes to our understanding of what fungal species are out there in a given ecosystem, in another word, really basic information. But the information is essential to effective, long-term conservation efforts.
In my travels, I have seen some short-sighted things that humans have done to the environment, such as massively clear-cutting forests. After the forests are gone, the root systems deteriorate. There is very little to hold the soil and water; when it rains, floods can easily form and the good soil floats away. Eventually, the land is lost even for agriculture. With agriculture gone, the food supply for humans becomes a problem. Preserving the environment is important not only for the future generations but also for the immediate well-being of humans.
Has being a woman made a difference in your career?
I don't think of myself as a woman when I work. I really don't. I do the same thing as men do and I use the same standards as men to evaluate myself. I would like to be treated equally- with respect--as a human being, not as a woman. In reality, there are some disadvantages to being a woman in science, just as there are in other areas of society. We often have to work harder, try harder, and overcome more in order to earn more professional opportunities.
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