She is a graduate of Oregon State University and the University of Guelph. Her 20+ year research work has focused on the physiological interactions between the plant and its environment with abiotic stress and water as central themes to her research. Recent research on low temperature stress examines the role of predicted temperature shifts on subsequent growth cessation, dormancy induction and cold hardiness in temperate deciduous woody plants. She has chaired, co-chaired numerous conferences, teaches a graduate level course on plant abiotic stress and has actively published in this field.