Gina Mohammed wasn’t supposed to be a scientist—at least, according to a teacher who gave her a lowly ‘D’ grade in her first biology class at age 13. ‘Obviously, she will never be a biologist,’ he wrote on her report card.

However, when Gina got to high school, a different science teacher with an infectious enthusiasm made it all seem such fun. Her marks morphed into ‘A’s, paving the way for this ‘unlikely biologist’ to end up doing exactly that for a living—and loving it!

Dr Gina Mohammed is a research scientist and international science consultant in plant physiology. Her specialties include non-traditional non-timber forest products, botanical medicines, remote sensing of plant stress, and plant biotechnology. Gina holds a Ph.D. in plant physiology from Canada’s Simon Fraser University, and a B.Sc. in biology Honours from the University of Toronto. A scientist for over 25 years, she has led research programs in both government and private-sector institutions. She has authored dozens of scientific publications, plus numerous technical articles in popular magazines. Her work has been featured on Canadian TV, radio, and in newspapers. Gina and her husband, Dan Pernokis,1 own a science and information technology consultancy based in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada.

via Gina Mohammed.