Dr. Plunkett is an Associate Professor in the Biology Department at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a plant systematist interested in elucidating patterns and modes of evolution by examining phylogenetic relationships among flowering plants. Using molecular techniques and cladistic approaches, he resolves relationships among angiosperms to provide a framework for interpreting trends in the evolution of morphological, anatomical and biochemical characters as well as in biogeographic patterns. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in Virginia with his B.S. in biology and went on to study botany at Washington State University where he received his Ph.D.