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Name: Debbie
Swarthout
Title: Assistant Professor
Place of Work or School: Hope College
Research Area: I am a plant physiologist working on photosynthesis,
photorespiration and water-use efficiency in agronomic and native grasses.
Member Since: 2002
1. Why has being
a member of ASPB been important?
It has helped me connect with other plant biologists through reading
the newsletter regularly and attending the annual meetings.
2. Was someone
instrumental in getting you to join ASPB?
No. I was looking for a small society to join that would allow me
to begin networking with people in my area of research.
3. What would you
tell colleagues to encourage them to join?
ASPB is a friendly society with broad interests in plant biology.
The small size is especially attractive, because you can attend meetings
without knowing anyone and you will not get the feeling of complete loneliness
during the meetings. People are very willing to talk to you as you meander
through the rooms. I had a good experience like this when I attended an
ASPB meeting for the first time in 2004. Also, I really like the organization
of the online newsletter. It makes it easy to stay informed about the
happenings in plant biology.
4. Have you enhanced
your career using ASPB job postings or through networking at an ASPB function?
No. I joined ASPB only after beginning my current position at Hope
College.
5. Have you had
any success at finding candidates as a result of a job posting at the
meeting or on our online Job Bank?
No, I have not advertised any positions through this network.
6. Do you read
print journals? If so, where do you usually read them?
I read them in our library at Hope College. I usually visit our library
about once a month to read journals in my area of research.
7. What do you
think is the next “big thing” in plant biology?
I think that the next big thing in biology is using plants as a common
resource for preventing diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.
I think that the hype about using plants as alternative fuels will lead
to major biochemical breakthroughs about plants that will trigger a new
emphasis on correcting one’s diet to prevent latent diseases that
emerge later in life.
8. What person,
living or deceased, do you most admire?
I admire Nelson Mandela the most. He is an incredible example of a
leader who exhibited patience and humility while turning a very intense
political climate into one that could actually sustain itself through
true democracy.
9. What are you
reading these days?
I have just completed reading The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks and
have begun reading The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander
McCall Smith.
10. What are your
hobbies?
I love golf, walking, swimming, cycling through the woods, photographing
plants, reading, traveling, and attempting to paint with watercolors.
11. What is your
most treasured possession?
I treasure hearing the light snores of my two and six-year-old daughters,
as well as those of my husband, in the early hours of the morning, when
I get up to read and write..
12. What do you
still have left to learn?
It fuels my soul that I can be a lifelong learner. First, I need to
stop second– guessing myself. I need to learn to be more assertive
about what I enjoy researching in the field of plant biology. Second,
I need to learn how to catalogue the most pertinent primary literature
in my field in a meaningful way on my laptop and desktops. Third, I need
to express myself through writing short descriptions of interesting findings
in my research lab on a more regular basis.
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