The day Dr. Virginia Dale defended her PhD thesis at the University of Washington, Mount Saint Helens erupted. Her proposed long term study of Mount St. Helens ecosystems put her in the perfect place at the right time to join a team of scientists and technicians that studied the recovery of the slopes and valleys around the volcano most affected by the blast. Virginia and her team have documented the recovery of plants and animals over the past 30 years. She continues her research from Oak Ridge National Lab and applies what she knows to helping her team find the best places to produce biofuel crops.