A prestigious fellowship has found a new recipient in CBS Postdoctoral Researcher Marina LaForgia, who was one of 5 postdocs in the country named a 2022 L'Oréal USA for Women in Science Fellow in November.

In her teaching, LaForgia, who studies the ecology of seeds to understand the effects of climate change and invasive plants on native plants, focuses on the women who have helped advance the field of botany.

"The L'Oréal for Women in Science Fellowship is allowing me to develop the class ‘The Badass Babes of Botany’ to introduce students to all of the amazing women who have contributed to the field in the past and right now," she said in a video produced by L’Oréal.

A background in plants and ecology

A southern California native, LaForgia majored in economics and international relations before her interest in environmentally sustainable development brought her into the world of plants. Fascinated by the strategies plants have evolved to adapt to variable climates, she came to UC Davis and, through the lens of early-life-stage seeds and seedlings, studied how environmental variability and species invasions shape plant communities. She completed her Ph.D. in ecology in 2019.

At present, LaForgia is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Fellow in the laboratory of Jennifer Gremer, an associate professor in the Department of Evolution and Ecology, and Lauren Hallett, an associate professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Oregon.

Of her current research, LaForgia explains, “While ecologists have learned a great deal about plant-environment interactions from the traits of adult plants, less is known about traits that help plants disperse and establish.” Understanding these early life traits may help not only create better management strategies for plants under climate change, but can also help with the management and control of invasive plants, which, according to LaForgia, dominate many semi-arid California grasslands and are becoming increasingly problematic in southwestern deserts.

In 2022, LaForgia received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research.

About the fellowship

The L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship program awards five women postdoctoral scientists annually with grants of $60,000 each for their contributions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields and commitment to serving as role models for younger generations. Candidates are evaluated based on their intellectual merit, research potential, scientific excellence, and their commitment to supporting women and girls in science.