Emma received a BS in Botany from the University of Wales and a PhD in Plant Biology from The Ohio State University. Following this, she worked as a member of the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center (ABRC) team from 1998 to 2012. After working in informal education, and as a consultant for the development of ABRC’s stock database and web site, Emma returned to ABRC to serve as Associate Director in 2019.

The ABRC is a US National Science Foundation and user-supported stock center that serves the Arabidopsis and broader plant science community by collecting, maintaining and distributing seed and other resources of Arabidopsis thaliana and related species for research and education. ABRC’s active outreach program uses the resources and expertise of the Arabidopsis research community to create educational materials and unique, hands-on experiences for K-16 students, educators and the general public.