Kendra Walters

Degrees

PhD, Biology, University of California - Irvine, 2021 (Expected)
MS, Biology, University of California - Irvine, 2019
BS, Biology and Geology, University of Oregon, 2016

Research

Community ecology of soil bacteria

Biography

Kendra Walters is a PhD candidate in Dr. Jennifer Martiny's lab in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at UCI. Raised in Oregon, she fell in love with ecology as an undergraduate because ecology allows her to understand the inner workings of our natural world. Kendra now applies theories of ecology to study the next frontier: microbes. Her research illuminates how bacteria move through a landscape and how dispersal impacts bacterial communities in soil. Kendra is also partners with Crystal Cove Conservancy to bring real-life research to middle school students through fun (and educational!) field trip experiences. In the future, Kendra will pursue informal education to connect anyone and everyone to the exciting world of science.

Why is science communication important to you?

Through science, amazing discoveries happen everyday! And yet, how many times have you heard (or thought) that "science just isn't for me?" I believe that science is for everyone. The problem arises when science is communicated or taught in a way that makes science seem boring, hard, or exclusive. Science communication is important to me because it's an opportunity to share what I know to be true - that science is a fun and exciting way to see our world in a new light.

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