DB Poli is an evolutionary plant biologist from University of Maryland. At Roanoke College, she is a full professor in biology where she teaches plant biology, cell biology, and evolution, along with writing and non-majors biology courses. In addition, Poli is a Research Associate at the Virginia Museum of Natural History where she focuses on Carboniferous fossil plants. As a co-founder and co-director for the Dragon Research Collaborative, she has lead a small army of undergraduates, scholars, and community partners to explore the plant fossil-folklore hypothesis around Carboniferous plants being the inspiration for dragon stories around the world.