Kay Hankins

Upon joining the team as the Seed Bank Conservation Botanist here at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and Botanical Research Institute of Texas in January of 2024, Kay brought her years of academic and professional experience centered on botanical research, conservation, restoration, ecological niche modeling, and science education and outreach. In her present role, Kay works closely with a wide variety of cross-disciplinary academic collaborators, federal, state, and municipal agencies, as well as private landowners to further the Garden’s mission to conserve and protect Texas native plant biodiversity through the collection, curation, and research of at-risk, threatened, and endangered native plant seeds.

Her research spans a variety of subjects, including seed dormancy, germination, longevity, and micropropagation, as well as long-term population monitoring, field surveys, and ecological niche modeling to support rare species conservation, ranking, and recovery efforts in-situ. These research activities provide her with ample opportunities to work with and mentor volunteers, contractors, and undergraduate student interns both in the laboratory and the field as well as engage in public outreach with local naturalist chapters, conservation organizations, and student groups in and around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.