Cora is in her 5th year of her BSc in Biology at Dalhousie University. She is very excited to be given the opportunity to pursue her honors under the supervision of Dr. Gunawardena. Cora first became interested in the research conducted by the Gunawardena lab when she was enrolled in the Diversity of Plants and Microorganisms course. She then went on to complete Dr. Gunawardena’s Plant Cell Biology course and, shortly after, began volunteering in the lab in January of 2025. Throughout the summer (2025), fortunate to be funded by the Sarah Lawson Award, Cora has been investigating how growth under different light intensities affects anthocyanin production and programmed cell death (PCD) in lace plant leaves using techniques such as microscopy and LS-HRMS. Using this research, Cora has progressed into her honours and is thrilled to watch her hard work pay off as her project comes together!

Apart from completing her honours in the Gunawardena Lab, Cora also became the teaching assistant for Dr. Gunawardena’s Plant Cell Biology course in the fall of 2025. Outside of the lab, Cora volunteers with Atlantic Science Links Association (ASLA) and was thrilled to be the undergraduate representative for ASLA’s most recent Women in STEM Q&A for high school girls considering post-secondary education. She is also a member of the Dalhousie Biology Society (DABS), where she volunteers in the concept room, providing support to other biology students in their courses. In her spare time, Cora enjoys hiking, crocheting, trying new bakeries around the city, and staying active by participating in intermural volleyball and going to the gym.