Karen McGinnis

Karen McGinnis earned her undergraduate degree from Arizona State University 1995 and her doctoral degree from ASU in plant biology in 2000. She joined FSU’s faculty in 2008 as an assistant professor and is currently a professor in biological science. McGinnis previously served as associate chair for undergraduate studies and associate chair of academic programs in the Department of Biological Science. Her research interests include plant molecular genetics, predominantly focused on epigenetic regulation of gene expression in maize. McGinnis’ work has been funded by institutions including the National Science Foundation and the FSU Council on Research + Creativity, and has been published in many scientific journals. 

In June 2024, she joined the dean’s office in the College of Arts and Sciences as an associate dean.