# Elizabeth Arnold (scientist)

A. Elizabeth "Betsy" Arnold is an American evolutionary biologist who is a Professor of Plant Sciences and Curator of the Robert L. Gilbertson Mycological Herbarium at the University of Arizona. Her research consists of fungal biology. She was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2021.

## Early life and education

Arnold studied biology at Duke University. Her undergraduate thesis studied flower colour polymorphism. She then moved to the University of Arizona for her doctoral studies, where she investigated fungal endophytes under the guidance of American botanist Lucinda A. McDade. After earning her doctorate Arnold returned to Duke University, where she was awarded a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship to work alongside François Lutzoni.

## Research and career

In 2005, Arnold was appointed to the faculty at the University of Arizona. In 2015, she started as a curator at the Robert L. Gilbertson Mycological Herbarium, later getting promoted to professor. In the past, she has taught fungal biology to many students, ranging from high school to postdoc students.Currently, she is a professor for the School of Plant Sciences and the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona.Her research considers fungal endophytes, the very small fungi that live within plants without causing disease, uncovering both the remarkable diversity of endophytes and their potential applications in biotechnology. According to her 2007 study in Ecology, which examines the diversity and ecological functions of fungal endophytes in tropical ecosystems, these fungi are extremely varied and essential to plant resilience and health, especially in tropical leaves, which are hotspots for biodiversity. Her research has helped improve knowledge about plants and fungi interact in tropical settings. Arnold has studied these endophytes in trees, crop plants and shrubs in tropical rainforests and the arctic tundra.
Arnold has served as an editor of Mycologia and published a total of over 120 peer-reviewed papers.

## Awards and honors

* 2002 Alwyn Gentry Award
* 2011 International Mycological Association Arthur Henry Buller Medal
* 2011 David E. Cox Teaching Award
* 2012 Mycological Society of America Alexopolous Prize
* 2016 Mycological Society of America William H. Weston Award
* 2016 University of Arizona Bart Cardon Fellow
* 2021 Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

## Outreach and public engagement

Elizabeth Arnold shares her research with the public through her Arnold Lab website (Arnold Lab). The website provides information about her studies, published work, and ways for students and researchers to work with her. It helps people learn more about fungi and their role in nature. She also uses the website to update others on her latest research and to support students interested in studying fungi and plants. Beginning in 2018, Elizabeth Arnold sought to convey that climate change is not just about 'doom and gloom' but also emphasized the importance of reporting on progress in combating it to engage more people in the cause.

## Selected publications

* R J Rodriguez; James Francis White, Jr.; A E Arnold; R S Redman (February 19, 2009). "Fungal endophytes: diversity and functional roles". New Phytologist. 182 (2): 314–330. doi:10.1111/J.1469-8137.2009.02773.X. ISSN 0028-646X. PMID 19236579. Wikidata Q33411532.
* Timothy Y. James; Frank Kauff; Conrad L. Schoch; et al. (October 19, 2006). "Reconstructing the early evolution of Fungi using a six-gene phylogeny". Nature. 443 (7113): 818–822. doi:10.1038/NATURE05110. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 17051209. Wikidata Q21972837.
* A Elizabeth Arnold; Luis Carlos Mejía; Damond Kyllo; Enith I Rojas; Zuleyka Maynard; Nancy Robbins; Edward Allen Herre (December 23, 2003). "Fungal endophytes limit pathogen damage in a tropical tree". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 100 (26): 15649–54. Bibcode:2003PNAS..10015649A. doi:10.1073/PNAS.2533483100. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 307622. PMID 14671327. Wikidata Q24617213.