Erin Connolly is Professor and Department Head of Plant Science in the College of Agriculture at Penn State University. Connolly earned a BA with High Honors in Biology from Dartmouth College (1990) and a PhD in Genetics from UC Davis (1997). Research in the Connolly lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms that control micronutrient (iron and copper) uptake and translocation in plants and that limit the accumulation of toxic elements like cadmium. Current estimates indicate that ~3 billion people suffer from iron deficiency and plant foods serve as the principal source of iron for most people. In addition, ~30% of the world's soils are considered iron-limiting for plant growth. Work in the Connolly lab is thus aimed at generating information that will lead to the development of crop varieties that serve as better dietary sources of iron and/or that show improved growth on micronutrient-poor soils.