Kandalepas is an Instructor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Southeastern Louisiana University, where she teaches courses in botany, mycology, plant ecology, and horticulture. Her research focuses on plant–fungal interactions, particularly the diversity and ecological roles of fungal endophytes in wetland plants. She also studies how environmental stress and disturbance affect endophyte biodiversity. Dr. Kandalepas curates Southeastern’s vascular plant herbarium and leads the development of its first mycological herbarium. She is deeply engaged in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students and in promoting public understanding of plant and fungal diversity through outreach and community events.
