Jessie Uehling’s passion for Botany and mycology was evident early on. She excelled in her undergraduate Botany courses and contributed significantly as a graduate student and teaching assistant in the Biology department at Cal Poly Humboldt. She credits much of her career success to the quality training and inspirational students, staff, and professors in the Biology Department at Humboldt.
During her graduate studies under Terry Henkel, Uehling conducted groundbreaking research on tropical ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity, including fieldwork in the remote Amazonian rainforest of Guyana. Her work led to the description of eight new fungal species and the publication of three peer-reviewed papers. These achievements paved the way for her acceptance into the Ph.D. program in Genetics and Genomics at Duke University, where she further distinguished herself with pioneering research on the fungal microbiome using cutting-edge genomics approaches. After completing her doctorate, Uehling undertook postdoctoral research at UC Berkeley.
In 2020, Uehling joined Oregon State University as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology. Her research at OSU has gained international recognition for its contributions to understanding the fungal microbiome. To date, Uehling has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers and textbook chapters, solidifying her reputation as an expert in fungal biology.
Her achievements demonstrate the strong foundation provided by her education at Humboldt. Beyond her research, Uehling is a dedicated teacher and mentor, known for her positive impact on students. She has developed educational materials for K-12 classrooms, benefiting over 150 children across multiple states. Committed to public service, she is the Governor’s appointed mycologist for the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board, where she contributes to shaping public health policies related to fungal medicines.
Uehling's contributions to science and public policy have earned her numerous accolades. These include the Cal Poly Humboldt McConkey Outstanding Graduate Student Award, the Alistair McCrone Graduate Fellowship Award, the Gregory Mark Jennings Research Dissemination grant, the Department of Energy graduate fellowship, and several national fellowships and awards from the Mycological Society of America. Her work has been featured in various media outlets, including podcasts, ESPN documentaries, and articles in National Geographic, Scientific American, and Science Daily. As a hobby, Uehling creates educational mycological short films.
Uehling's career is a testament to the high-caliber education and research training she received at Cal Poly Humboldt, and she continues to inspire current and future students with her dedication and success in the field of mycology.
