Most people view green algae as a slimy nuisance on pond surfaces, as seaweeds along the coast and builders of coral reefs, or as sea lettuce that is enjoyed in soup. They also may understand the ecological role of algae as primary producers. Green algae plan important ecological roles across terrestrial habitats, even in deserts, and participate in symbioses with fungi, protists and animals. As an evolutionary biologist I examine the biodiversity and investigate the trait transitions of terrestrial and symbiotic green algae through fieldwork and collections, systematics, molecular evolution, genomics, and physiological studies. I first became interested in algae as an undergraduate student at DePaul University in Chicago and was further trained at Ohio State University, where I received my Ph.D. in Plant Biology.  In 1991 I joined the faculty in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at University of Connecticut. Read more about projects that involve graduate and undergraduate students at http://algae.eeb.uconn.edu/