About Dr. Francesca T. Grifo
Francesca T. Grifo is currently the Director of the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation here at the museum. "I was inspired to become a scientist by my seventh grade science teacher," says Francesca. "He took us outside and had us collect insects and identify grasses." As an undergraduate she studied zoology and ecology, and for her Ph.D. at Cornell University she followed up an early interest in botany by focusing on the evolution and systematics (classification) of a group of neotropical trees and shrubs in the group Myrtaceae cloud forest (high-elevation forest which relies on precipitation from clouds for moisture, as opposed to rainfall).
Francesca has become particularly interested in the relationships between biochemistry and human health. Specifically, she's worried about the potential threat to human health represented by the alteration and destruction of the Earth's botanical resources. Francesca has an Adjunct Appointment at the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation. Francesca has worked in many different parts of the world for environmental organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund and The Nature Conservancy, focusing on the preservation of wildlife and biological diversity.
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