About me
I received my B.A. in Psychology from the University of South Florida. Originally intending to pursue medicine, I completed all the pre-requisites for medical school. During my final semester, however, I decided to shelve those plans and instead pursue my love of plants! I completed a three-month horticultural internship at the National Tropical Botanical Garden on the island of Kauai, then worked as a gardener at Bok Tower Gardens in central Florida for a year. From there, I completed my master's and Ph.D. in Horticultural Sciences at the University of Florida, where my research focused on the floral fragrance of daylilies and violets. I then worked as a postdoctoral associate at the University of Florida's Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka, leading a multi-year, multi-site study on industrial hemp. Outside the classroom, I enjoy reading, gardening, exploring Florida, traveling, and spending time with my family, friends, and dogs.
Education:
Ph.D. in Horticultural Sciences from the University of Florida – December 2022
M.S. in Horticultural Sciences from the University of Florida – December 2017
B.A. in Psychology from the University of South Florida – May 2014
Refereed Journal Publications:
Cárdenas-Pinto, S., J.E. Gazaleh, D. Budner, S. Keene, L.R. Dhoble, A. Sharma, B. Pearson, Z. Jia, B. Zhang, and K.A. Thompson-Witrick. 2024. Influence of ethanol concentration on the extraction of cannabinoid and volatile compounds for dry-hemped beer. Beverages 10(3):65.
Keene, S.A., M. Sims, J.Y. Kim, and T.A. Colquhoun. 2024. Temporal, developmental, and comparative characterization of the floral volatile emissions of the famously scented violet species, Viola odorata. HortScience 59(7):974-985.
Pappo, E., S. Keene, H. Smith, Y. Song, T. Colquhoun, C. Wilson, and S. Luke Flory. 2023. Effects of reduced rainfall on coffee quality and volatile composition. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture JSFA.12949.
Kim, J.Y., K.H. Cho, S.A. Keene, and T.A. Colquhoun. 2023. Altered profile of floral volatiles and lignin content by down-regulation of Caffeoyl Shikimate Esterase in Petunia. BMC Plant Biology 23:210.
Ames, Z.R., J.K. Brecht, M.A. Olmstead, T.A. Colquhoun, and S.A. Keene. 2022. Using conjoint-based experimental design to assess willingness to purchase Florida peaches. HortScience 57(9):1110-1119.
Latimer, S., S.A. Keene, L.R. Stutts, A. Berger, A.C. Bernert, E. Soubeyrand, J. Wright, C.F. Clarke, A.K. Block, T.A. Colquhoun, C. Elowsky, A. Christensen, M.A. Wilson, and G.J. Basset. 2021. A dedicated flavin-dependent monooxygenase catalyzes the hydroxylation of demethoxyubiquinone into ubiquinone (coenzyme Q) in Arabidopsis. J. Biol. Chem. 297(5): 101283.
Soubeyrand, E., S. Latimer, A.C. Bernert, S.A. Keene, T.S. Johnson, D. Shin, A.K. Block, T.A. Colquhoun, A.R. Schäffner, G.J. Basset, and J. Kim. 2021. 3-o-Glycosylation of kaempferol restricts the supply of the benzenoid precursor of ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q) in Arabidopsis. Phytochemistry 186:112738.
Keene, S.A., T.S. Johnson, C.L. Sigler, T.N. Kalk, P. Genho, and T.A. Colquhoun. 2020. A survey of the floral volatile profiles of daylily species and hybrids. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 145(2):120-130.
Kryger, S., T.A. Colquhoun, P.J. Sarnoski, B.J. Pearson, A.J. MacIntosh, S.A. Keene, A.Z. Odabasi, S.M. Baker, and C. Sims. 2020. Sensory and compositional analysis of Florida-grown hops. MBAA TQ 57(3):134-141.
Soubeyrand, E., M. Kelly, S.A. Keene, A.C. Bernert, S. Latimer, T.S. Johnson, C. Elowsky, T.A. Colquhoun, A.K. Block, and G.J. Basset. 2019. Arabidopsis 4-COUMAROYL-COA LIGASE 8 contributes to the biosynthesis of the benzenoid ring of coenzyme Q in peroxisomes. Biochemical Journal 476:3521-3532.
Dewar, P.E., S.A. Keene, T.N. Kalk, D.G. Clark, H.R. Moskowitz, and T.A. Colquhoun. 2016. Identifying the drivers of a foliage plant purchasing decision via contemporary psychophysics. Journal of Horticulture 3:177.