Avalo
Emily Thayer is an experienced professional in the field of environmental science, currently serving as a Greenhouse Technician and Field Plant Tech at Avalo, Inc since May 2023. Previously, Emily worked as a Research Associate at Duke University, focusing on the genetic basis of phenotypic plasticity in Arabidopsis thaliana from December 2021 to July 2024. Emily’s research experience also includes a role as a Research Intern at Duke University, where the focus was on the phenotypic and ecological responses of organisms to environmental factors. Earlier roles include positions as a Barista at BREW Coffee Bar, Sales Supervisor at Michael Kors, and Visual Merchandising Manager at Madewell. Emily holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Meredith College and an Associate of Science in Environmental Biology from Wake Technical Community College.
Avalo
Avalo is a plant biology company that harnesses interpretable machine learning, genomic discovery, and evolutionary theory to rapidly design new crops for the future of agriculture. Their process uses AI-assisted plant breeding, so all products are non-GMO and support the natural diversity of the world around us. The technological core of Avalo isa discovery engine that can identify the genetic underpinnings of complex traits with minimal training. In turn, these findings are leveraged into high-precision, low-cost simulations and forecasts. Even in understudied crops, Avalo can reduce the time that it takes to produce new crops by years and reduce the cost by an order of magnitude.