Emory University School of Medicine Assistant Dean of Research Cores and Curator of the Herbarium Cassandra Quave (00C, P26) will deliver the keynote address at Oxford College’s 179th Commencement, according to a March 1 press release. The College will hold the commencement ceremony on May 11.
In the press release, Quave said that she is “honored” and “excited” to serve as the Commencement speaker and looks forward to connecting with Oxford graduates and their families. The exchange of knowledge and resources between the Oxford and Atlanta campuses will be a focal point of Quave’s speech, the release stated.
Quave noted that she was impressed by how Oxford students she has interacted with excel on the Atlanta campus after graduating Oxford.
“As a professor on the Atlanta campus, I’ve noticed that Oxford students are mature and unafraid to engage in the classroom and express their opinions,” Quave said. “I think that comes from the ways that they’re taught at Oxford and are encouraged to really be a part of the conversation. I’m looking forward to sharing some of the resources and opportunities that await them in Atlanta.”
Emory University School of Medicine Assistant Dean of Research Cores and Curator of the Herbarium Cassandra Quave will deliver the keynote address at Oxford’s 179th Commencement. (Courtesy of Emory University)
Quave, who is also an associate professor of dermatology and human health, holds a B.S. in Biology and Anthropology from Emory. After earning a PhD from Florida International University’s Center for Ethnobiology and Natural Products, she completed post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and in the Emory Center for the Study of Human Health.
Since joining the faculty in 2013, Quave has published numerous scientific publications. In 2021, Quave published her award-winning book, “The Plant Hunter: A Scientist’s Quest for Nature’s Next Medicines,” which describes new ways to combat disease through plant research. Her contributions to the field of medical ethnobotany include her leadership of the Quave Research Group and the Quave Lab at Emory.
As the curator and director of the Emory Herbarium, Quave is involved in natural product drug discovery research. Former Oxford Dean William Murdy served as director of the herbarium from 1966 to 1982.
Oxford College Dean Badia Ahad said in the press release that Quave has been “an incredible resource” for Oxford students as they transition to the Atlanta campus. Ahad added that the Oxford community will appreciate Quave’s interdisciplinary work.
“She has made it a point to be involved across a number of disciplines and departments in Atlanta, and her work at the Emory Herbarium is just one of the many examples of her invaluable contributions to our university,” Ahad said. “I know the Oxford community will enjoy hearing about her many insights and experiences.”
Lauren Yee (25Ox) is a news editor at The Emory Wheel. She is from Hong Kong and is majoring in religion. Outside of the Wheel, Yee serves on the boards of the Phi Gamma Literary Society and the Oxford Ensemble of Shakespearean Artists. In her free time, you can find her playing the saxophone, watching musicals or enjoying an iced oat milk matcha!
