Brittany Long
Year Graduated: 
2022
Ph.D. student
UC Davis

Job description

I'm a Ph.D. student in the Plant Biology program at UC Davis with an emphasis in genetics and bioinformatics. The first two years will be mostly more classes and lab rotations!

Why did you choose this program?

I chose the Botany program at Humboldt because of its reputation, its rigorous class requirements, and because it was one of the only Botany undergraduate programs available in the country. I was also drawn to the natural "lab" surrounding the school and knew that I could thrive as a budding plant scientist in the area.

How did this program prepare you for your job?

This program, quite literally, directly prepared me to be a Ph.D. student. The classes and the research experience I got as an undergraduate translated directly into being a graduate student researcher. The experience I got at Humboldt was the reason I was able to go straight into a Plant Biology Ph.D. program straight from undergrad.

What did you enjoy most about the program?

This is tough to answer because, in all honesty, I enjoyed everything (nerd). I enjoyed the niche botany classes the most (Lichens and Bryophytes, Phycology, Agrostology, Molecular Genetics, etc). I also really enjoyed the lab and field experiences that are built into the classes.

What would you say to prospective students who are thinking about applying to this program?

If you are looking for a plant biology undergraduate program, this is the one. Do it. It's well-rounded in all of the core sciences, AND includes niche botany classes that are hard to find anywhere else. The professors are kind, supportive, and know their stuff. Do it. You won't regret it.

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