Conversation with a Curator: Ya Yang

Plants are chemical factories — the diverse compounds they produce are not only used to help the plants attract pollinators, fend off pesky leaf-eating herbivores, or deal with life in extreme environments. They have also become incredibly important to people as sources of food and medicine. Dr. Ya Yang, curator of plants at the Bell Museum, is leading a new, collaborative research study to explore and better understand plant chemistry. She’ll help us connect to plant chemicals in our daily lives and share tales of adventure from collecting plants on mountaintops, in deserts and beyond. Bring your questions!