Department of Biology and Chemistry
Pandemic puts a hold on lettuce research
By: Aparna Sreenivasan
Jose Pablo “JP” Dundore-Arias had big plans for his paternity leave during the Spring semester this year at CSU Monterey Bay. While on leave he would gather eight to 10 undergraduates to work on two ambitious agriculture-related projects. His research had already been interrupted the previous autumn, after he adopted his baby Bruno.
Then, on March 13 the entire CSUMB campus shut down because of COVID-19.
“I struggled because I was stressed and frustrated because I could not do my work,” said Dundore-Arias, 36. “But at the same time, no one will die if my research cannot be done immediately but (other) people out there are putting their lives at risk every day.” - JP Dundore-Arias