Yanming Xiong completed her M.S. degree in the spring of 2000.  The title of her thesis is "Characterization of mating-impaired and temperature sensitive mutants of the plant pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis." Her work included morphological analysis as well as molecular characterization of complementing plasmids. While at SJU she presented her work at the Potomac Region meetings of the American Phytopathological Society in Morgantown VA, and at the Mid-Atlantic State Mycology Meetings in Blacksburg VA.   Yanming was recruited to a research position at Lankenau Medical Center before she even finished writing up her thesis!  It wasn't easy, but she managed to finish up while working full time.  She is currently employed at the University of Pennsylvania.