Alpha Chi member competes, wins regional Pryor fellowship

Senior biology major Brittany Pierce is packing more than memories to take to The University of California-Davis this fall.

Pierce, a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society, is the recipient of the 2010 Region II Pryor Fellowship for graduate study.

She received the $1,000 fellowship during Alpha Chi’s first Super-Regional Conference in Little Rock, Ark.

“Selection for the award was based on letters of recommendation, academic performance and a letter from me about my career goals,” Pierce said. “I imagine that what I’m working on would be important to anyone that likes grapes, oranges or a variety of ornamental plants.”

Her research is focused on Pierce’s Disease, which kills grapevines and other economically important crops in Texas by blocking the plants xylem.

The xylem conducts water around the plant and once it is blocked, the plants water supply is gone.

“I don’t think a lot of people realize how much scientific research goes on to keep our plants and food crops healthy,” Pierce said.

Pierce is entering the plant pathology doctorate program at Davis and plans to leave for California in July.

“I have a few other ideas on how to expand my project more, but I’m trying not to get too far ahead of myself,” Pierce said. “After I finish my Ph.D at Davis, I’ll do a post-doc somewhere, and eventually I want to be a professor.”