Ann Rushing

Biography

I am currently working as a Professor Emeritus of Biology at baylor University. I have completed my BA, Duke University & MS, University of Cincinnati & Ph.D., Texas A & M University. I love plants! As an undergraduate at Duke University (the best school in the universe), I miraculously found other students who felt the same as I did; and a career was launched. My particular plants of study, the bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts), are the most interesting, yet the most unappreciated, plants on earth! Baylor has been a great place to teach. In my classes, general biology, plant anatomy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, I regularly meet bright and enthusiastic students who inspire me. Helping students see the big picture among all the details of biology is my biggest challenge. Viewing the successes of my students, in whatever fields they may choose, is the reward that motivates me. In my research, I use electron microscopy to study cell structure and development. The structures of motile plant cells (sperm) and cells that mediate the transfer of nutrients through various plant tissues are my particular interests. Recent studies have centered on lichen growth and plant regeneration. Stop by the electron microscopy lab any time!

Research Interest

Cell structure and development in plants, particularly bryophytes