Grant Morton

As the Conservation Seed Bank Curator, Dr. Morton's current research concentrates on seed storage behavior, seed viability and symbiotic germination. His expertise is in symbiotic germination of orchid seeds, development of new germination methods and mycorrhizal symbionts.

Grant received his BS in Biological Sciences & Environmental Science and Ecological Studies from Illinois College in 2013, first studying orchids in the Orchid Recovery Program. He earned his MS in Biology in 2015 from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where he worked to develop a new micropropagation method for the locally endangered Spiranthes vernalis. In 2022, he earned his PhD in Botany from the University of Wisconsin - Madison researching endangered Floridian Vanilla orchids, their population genetics and mycorrhizal endophytes.