Greetings! PLACE stands for Plant Physiology through the Arts and Community Engagement. We are a lab based at Smith College, in Northampton MA, focused primarily on drought tolerance in Northeastern Trees, as well as phloem dynamics. The lab is run by Professor Jess Gersony, who teaches plant ecology and physiology classes at Smith, and is a drought expert. Current lab members include undergraduate (and recently graduated) summer research assistants MJ Kabongo, Iz Thompson, Skarlett Rubi, and Al Torrens-Martin, Ada Comstock Scholar Avery Maltz, and post-doc researcher Malini MK.

This summer the PLACE Lab is taking part in several different projects, ranging from urban forestry to drought and cold dynamics. We are collaborating with the Yoni Glogower and the City of Holyoke, the Urban Trees Ecophysiology Network, Camillo Villouta, University of New Hampshire, Alabama A&M University, Professor Colin Hoag, the Smith College Botanic Garden, and many more!!

This fall, we hope to continue our work in drought research, as well as create lots of art, which can be accessed by you on this blog! Stay posted to learn about our communal and individual projects!

Members

I’m Malini (she/her), a post-doc at the PLACE lab. I hold a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute. Throughout my years in graduate school, my research focused on subjecting rice plants to drought and high temperatures (all in the name of science!!). Now, at the PLACE lab, I’ve switched gears to studying how the Northeastern US trees deal with drought and cold stress. I aspire to work closely with plants and study their stress responses in different climates. Outside of research, I enjoy cooking, enjoy classical songs, and delve into interior decorations. I also enjoy interviewing science folks and writing science communication articles. Check out my first outreach article and stay tuned for more on our blog!

Hello, there! I’m Al Torrens-Martin, an undergraduate Environmental Science and Policy major at Smith College. I stumbled across Professor Gersony’s work when taking her Plant Physiology class last spring semester, and have been obsessed with everything plant biology related ever since! I am particularly interested in forest ecophysiology and urban forestry, and dream of conducting research on my favorite tree, the white pine. I’m also very passionate about urban agriculture, and the implementation of equitably distributed green-space in all cities! Outside of the lab I like to spend my time reading, making art (including slowly familiarizing myself with the blog-sphere!), playing ultimate frisbee and watching tons of movies.

I’m Avery Maltz (he/him), an Ada Comstock Scholar majoring in biology and minoring in studio art. I am a research assistant in the Place Lab and a conservation intern at the Smith Botanic Garden. My current research focus is on plant conservation and ecology, and I would like to study tree canopy conservation in the future. I was an artist for many years before becoming a student, and am now focusing on installation and socially engaged art while at Smith. In my spare time I like going for bike rides, geocaching, caring for my carnivorous plant collection, and walking my cat in a stroller.

Hi! I’m Iz (they/them). I’m a class of 2024 double major in biology and the study of women and gender. I’m from Bainbridge Island, a predominantly white and wealthy community in Washington state. I’m passionate about plant physiology, disability justice, environmental justice, and queer theory. I especially love identifying connections between these fields. I also enjoy creating watercolor and collage pieces, reading, and most activities that involve sitting in the woods. After Smith, I plan to study the relationships between tree physiology, people, and climate, focusing on the accessible sharing of information through public-facing writing and art pieces. 

I’m Marge Poma Alarcon (she/her), a Smith alumna (Class of 2023; STEM Posse 5) and Research Technician of the PLACE Lab. I completed the Biology and Portuguese & Brazilian Studies double major and Environmental Concentration and have dreams of working alongside plants and people to understand how agricultural crops are being impacted by climate change. In my free time, I like to practice meditation, harvest vegetables from my garden, and help others learn English at ILI.

I’m Isabella (she/her) and I’m a first year at Smith College (Co’27). I’m a member of the AEMES program and the PLACE lab. I’m really passionate about the effects climate change has on disadvantaged communities and I want to focus on that type of activism in the future. I want to major in Environmental Science and Policy so I’m super excited to be in this lab! In my free time, I love to listen to music, try new foods, and knit very poorly 🙂

Heyo! I’m Jess (she/her) and I am an asst. professor of Plant Physiology! I am passionate about understanding how plants respond to climate change and environmental stressors. I’ve had the great pleasure of studying plants in the arctic tundra, the Atacama desert in Chile, and our very own backyard (Northeastern forests!). I’m also a poet and tap dancer, and love blending art and science! A new scientific interest is learning more about and engaging with the practice of translational ecology: co-producing scientific research questions with various community partners!! Lastly, I’m also very passionate about increasing equity and inclusion in the sciences!