Lauren Eserman, Ph.D.
Dr. Lauren Eserman-Campbell is Director of Research for the Atlanta Botanical Garden's Southeastern Center for Conservation, where she leads the Garden's scientific research program, guiding collaborative efforts to better understand and conserve plant biodiversity. She works with a multidisciplinary team of researchers, students, and partners to develop innovative research that informs conservation practice while advancing scientific knowledge. Her research interests include conservation genetics, plant genomics, systematics, and evolution.
She collaborates with scientists globally on projects ranging from the conservation of southeastern rare plants, including orchids, magnolias, pitcher plants, and Florida torreya, to the evolutionary history of economically important plants such as sweet potato and its wild relatives. She is particularly interested in applying genomic tools to understand genetic diversity, species relationships, and evolutionary history in ways that directly support the conservation and recovery of rare and endangered plants.
Lauren earned her B.S. and M.S. in Biological Sciences from Southeastern Louisiana University, where she studied the taxonomy and evolution of morning glories. She received her Ph.D. in Plant Biology from the University of Georgia, where her research focused on the evolutionary origins of sweet potato and the genetic basis of storage root development. Before becoming Director of Research, she served as the Garden's Research Coordinator and later as Research Scientist in Genetics. She continues to mentor students and early-career scientists while fostering collaborative partnerships that advance plant conservation research.