About
Taran Lichtenberger is a Master's student pursuing a degree in Plant Biology and Conservation at Northwestern University and Chicago Botanic Garden. With experience in seed trait analysis, germination experiments, and plant identification, she passionately seeks to understand the role of plants in the ecosystem and how restoration efforts can be improved.
Ms. Lichtenberger conducts research on plants from the Colorado Plateau region using micropropagation techniques and studying intraspecific diversity. Previously, Ms. Lichtenberger investigated the agricultural inclusion of rare arable plants at the Technical University of Munich in Freising, Germany. Her work has focused on functional trait diversity in prairie plant species as well as seed trait measures and germination rates for prairie plant restoration. Her research has been funded by the Office of the Provost and Program in Biological Sciences at Northwestern and has received awards at multiple poster presentations. She also has the esteem of being an Alumnae of Northwestern STEM Scholar. Outside of her research, Ms. Lichtenberger is very passionate about sharing science with others. She has presented her research at a Science Slam USA-Chicago event, the UnEarth Science Festival at Chicago Botanic Garden, and the Ecological Society of America 2018 conference. She serves on the organization board of HerStory-Chicago and currently manages the social media channels for the Botanical Society of America. |