Emily Baker

Due to my background in applied math and computer science, I began working for Dr. Hojun Song as an undergraduate researcher in bioinformatics at Texas A&M. Since then, I have come to ASU to continue my work on our current project that seeks to identify the genetic mechanisms behind locust phase polyphenism in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, using a wide array of advanced bioinformatics techniques, paired with molecular and field research.

I am originally from Austin, Texas and attended Texas A&M University for my B.S. in Applied Mathematics and Computational Science. I began working in the Song Lab the summer before my senior year, and continued my work through the move from Texas A&M to ASU. During my time in the Song Lab I have utilized a diverse catalogue of computational methods to answer a wide range of questions within Orthoptera, including questions surrounding diet, phase transition, pesticide effectiveness, population genetics, and convergent evolution.

My PhD research focuses on understanding the genetic mechanisms behind phenotypic plasticity in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria. Through this work, I hope to expand theour understanding of this complex biological mechanism and refine computational tools for use in non-model organisms with large, repetitive genomes like those of orthopterans.