Plant Pathology Association
Plant Pathology Student Spotlight
María
L. Burgos Garay is a 6th year PhD student from Juana Diaz, Puerto
Rico. Maria works in the lab of Dr. Gary W. Moorman on the effects of
heterotrophic bacterial communities on Pythium
spp. in recycled irrigation water. She completed a B.S. in Microbiology
from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. She then worked for several
years, including at the Pennsylvania Department of
Health Bureau of Laboratories, located in Lionville, PA, before
deciding to go back to graduate school. She
was a Microbiologist II working in the Clinical Microbiology, Virology, and
Field Investigation sections, to include having been trained to work with bioterrorism
agents (select agents) but- luckily for her- Maria never had to work on a
"real case." She has been involved in hosting exchange
high school students and volunteering as a mentor for undergraduates,
minorities, and international students through Penn State and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). Maria’s
hobbies include reading mystery novels, crocheting, and spending time with her
kids. She is a member of the American Phytopathology
Society
(APS) Genetics Committee, APS Bacteriology Committee, and APS Committee for
Diversity and Equality.
