Emily is working on her PhD in Biology at Portland State University where she studies foliar endophytes. These microorganisms (fungi and bacteria) live asymptomatically within plant tissues and can offer benefits to their host plants such as drought tolerance or pest resistance. She is interested in the endophyte communities of plants on the Pumice Plain of Mt. St. Helens -- a model primary successional ecosystem -- and potential ecosystem effects on in-stream, microbially-mediated decomposition of leaf litter. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and trail running.