ology ▁and ▁of ▁Micro bi ology ▁& ▁M ole cular ▁Gen et ics . ▁She ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁MS U - DO E ▁Plant ▁Research ▁Labor atory . ▁Her ▁research ▁group ▁investig ates ▁how ▁photos yn th etic ▁organ isms ▁adapt ▁to ▁changes ▁in ▁their ▁environment . ▁Her ▁scholar ship ▁extends ▁beyond ▁bi ology ▁and ▁into ▁studying ▁ment or ship ▁and ▁fac ulty ▁development ▁to ▁develop ▁evidence - based ▁strateg ies ▁to ▁fost er ▁equ ity ▁and ▁inclusion ▁in ▁academ ia . ▁ ▁Education ▁and ▁early ▁career ▁ ▁Mont gom ery ▁received ▁her ▁Bach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁bi ology ▁from ▁Washington ▁University ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis ▁and ▁her ▁Master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁bi ology ▁from ▁University ▁of ▁Central ▁Ark ansas . ▁She ▁then ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁complete ▁her ▁Ph D ▁in ▁Plant ▁Bi ology ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁California , ▁Davis . ▁She ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁post do ctor al ▁fellow ▁in ▁Micro b ial ▁Bi ology ▁at ▁University ▁of ▁Indiana ▁with ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁a ▁National ▁Science ▁Foundation ▁( NS F ) ▁award . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁she ▁joined ▁the ▁research ▁fac ulty ▁at ▁Michigan ▁State ▁University . ▁ ▁Research ▁ ▁Mont gom ery ' s ▁research ▁cent ers ▁on ▁the ▁dynamic ▁mole cular ▁mechan isms ▁that ▁allow ▁photos yn th etic ▁organ isms — from ▁cy an ob acter ia ▁to ▁plant ▁species — to ▁adapt ▁and ▁respond ▁to ▁changes ▁in ▁their ▁photo environment . ▁These ▁organ isms ▁must ▁respond ▁to