Reed College scientific researcher, Morgan Vague, tells us about her and Professor Jay Mellies PhD’s discovery of plastic-eating bacteria that could soon become part of the solution to our global plastic pollution program. Throughout school, Morgan Vague remembers teachers telling her she should avoid math and science, because she wasn’t “smart enough”. After high school, Morgan grew tired of avoiding math and science and enrolled at Houston Community College.
There, she worked through remedial math courses and took the basic science courses she had missed out on. Craving a rigorous academic environment, Morgan applied and was accepted to Reed College, a school with a unique, hands-on approach to science education, and a reputation for letting their students test out scientific ideas and concepts. Once there, a microbiology course taught by Professor Jay Mellies PhD showed her how beautifully applicable biology could be and ignited her passion for science. The independent project curriculum supported by Reed College gave her the space to test out her ideas, and Professor Jay Mellies PhD provided her with lab space, guidance and mentoring to continue her research.
Morgan Vague tells us about plastic-eating bacteria discovered as part of her required, senior thesis at Reed College. Microbiologist Jay Mellies, PhD, Professor of Biology, mentored Morgan on this research. Morgan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology in 2018. Dr. Jay Mellies continues to supervise research at Reed College into bacterial bioaugmentation - using bacteria to aid in the fight against plastic pollution. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at [ Ссылка ]
