Rocky Giarratano
Contact Information:
Phone: 706-542-9729
E-mail: rocky.giarratano@uga.edu
Address:
Department of Genetics
C424 Life Sciences Building
Athens, GA 30602
Phone: 706-542-9235
Education:
- Ph.D. student, University of Georgia, 2016-Present
- Post-Baccalaureate, University of Colorado-Denver, 2009-2014
- B.A. Economics, Colorado State University, 2008
Research and Teaching Positions:
- Graduate Research Assistant, Laboratory of Dr. Jeffrey L. Bennetzen, University of Georgia, Department of Genetics. January 2016 - present
- Teaching Assistant, Gene3200, Spring 2019
- Research mentorship in Bennetzen Lab for two undergraduate students: Summer/Fall 2018
- Teaching Assistant, Biology 1 Laboratory for majors, University of Georgia, August 2017 - May 2018
- Graduate student, Rotation, Laboratory of Dr. Jim Leebens-Mack, University of Georgia, October 2016 - November 2016
- Graduate student, Rotation, Laboratory of Dr. Alexander Bucksch, University of Georgia, November 2016 - December 2016
- Teaching Assistant, General Chemistry 2, Dr. Priscilla Burrow, University of Colorado Denver, August 2015 - May 2016
- Teaching Assistant, General Chemistry 1, Dr. Priscilla Burrow, University of Colorado Denver, August 2011 - May 2014
- Learning Assistant, Organic Chemistry 1, August 2013 - December 2013
- Learning Assistant, General Genetics, August 2012 - May 2013
- Research Assistant, Laboratory of Dr. Christopher Phiel, University of Colorado Denver, August 2012 - May 2013
Additional Training:
- Sorghum collection/field training summer 2017 - Oklahoma State University
Research Interests:
- My work is focused on engineering a fluorescent “jumping gene” cassette in order to visualize its movement in maize, and in rice. Being able to see these movements in-situ would be a first, and would open other doors for interesting research.
- Additionally, I’m working on a collaboration project to find genes associated with shape traits in sorghum. This project utilizes DIRT software created by Dr. Bucksch, which has been used thus far only on roots.
Awards:
- Grand Prize, 3-Minute-Thesis Competition, UGA Department of Genetics, January 2018
- Recipient - Spirit Scholarship, Parker Adventist Hospital
Associations:
- Social Chair, Genetics Graduate Student Association, 2018
- Graduate Students and Post-Docs in Science, University of Georgia
- Graduate Professional Student Association, University of Georgia
Presentations:
- “A Pedagogical Analysis of the SN1 Reaction Mechanism”, Tri-Beta Honor Society, Fall 2012
- “Finding Autonomous Helitrons in-Vivo: A Synthetic Approach”, Genetics department graduate seminar
- “High-Throughput Sorghum Panicle Phenotyping”, Bennetzen Lab