Persimmon Project Science Committee

Dr. Elisabeth Epstein is an assistant professor of biology at George Mason University, where she teaches courses in biodiversity as well as teaching and coordinating the introductory biology series. She earned her PhD in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2008. Her current teaching and research interests are in microbial diversity and its functional significance in natural communities, as well as how the common origin of all life underlies the usefulness of model organisms.

Greg Sykes is a biologist who studied both molecular genetics and environmental sciences. While his day job is in a lab, Greg keeps current with ecology as a volunteer site leader doing habitat restoration through the Fairfax County Park Authority in the Invasive Management Area (IMA) program. His efforts as an IMA volunteer site leader received recognition through the Volunteer Excellence Award (2008, presented by the Resource Management Division), the prestigious Elly Doyle Special Recognition Award (2010, bipartisan nomination by Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova-D and Braddock District Supervisor John Cook-R), the Braddock District Community Champion for 2012, and Best of Braddock for 2014. Much of his photography and articles promote nature and healthy land stewardship. Greg also spends spare time drawing and painting.

grsykes.com