What Abigail loves most about being a scientist is that she get to think outside the box to solve tough problems, learn from failures, and implement new technologies to effect lasting positive change. In addition to her scientific pursuits, Abbie is passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists and has been a mentor in some capacity for the last thirteen years. She is the president of the St. Louis Chapter of the Association for Women in Science, a national non-profit organization that supports and develops women in STEM. She hold a BS in Chemistry from Purdue University and an MS in Plant Pathology from the University of California Davis.