Giovanna Figueroa from the Department of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley. Giovanna studies Oenocarpus bataua, a palm tree native to the Amazon rainforest, and has spent time in Peru investigating the role human interactions have played in influencing the diversity and distribution of the plant. Listen for Giovanna's exciting story about finding a flight back from Peru to the US in the midst of the COVID-19 shutdowns. The Graduates featuring graduate student research at Cal, is broadcast every other Tuesday on KALX 90.7 FM. Past episodes are available to listen and download free on iTunes or online. This episode of The Graduates is hosted by