Eric Franklin

As a kid in South Jersey, I never quite grew out of the phase of childhood of constantly asking "why," and I've wanted to pursue a career in science ever since I realized that scientists are essentially people who get to ask "why" for a living, and who can make the world a better place by doing so. It's with this purpose that I earned my B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Rochester and returned to my beloved home state to pursue my Ph.D. at Princeton.

Despite working in several labs on various topics as an undergrad, I had no plant-related experience before joining the Jonikas lab in 2019. I was originally (and still am) interested in the lab because we not only investigate exciting basic science questions but also think about how to apply that basic science toward practical bioengineering efforts. In my project I will be investigating the biogenesis of pyrenoid tubules in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as well as using a pyrenoid-less algal species to explore possible strategies for engineering a carbon-concentrating mechanism into other photosynthetic species.

 Outside the lab I enjoy staying active (mostly running and softball), reading, traveling, rooting for the Phillies, and going down the shore (that's New Jersey-an for "going to the beach.")