Jason Raiti

I’m Jason Raiti—a mycologist, educator, and creative technologist. I’m currently pursuing a graduate degree in Botany at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where I study the evolutionary morphology of Amanita spores in the Pringle Lab. My research integrates ecology, phylogenetics, and computational analysis, with a strong focus on science communication and fungal conservation. I also serve as a board member for the Wisconsin Mycological Society, where I run our speaker series.

Prior to joining UW–Madison, I served as a board member of the Central Texas Mycological Society, where I led hands-on workshops in low-tech mushroom cultivation and wild-to-agar cloning. My work has included cultivating bioluminescent fungi in Brazil, co-authoring a paper on robotic water sampling for IROS, and contributing to NASA-affiliated robotics projects, including an autonomous lunar rover and a space-trash cleaning robot!

I am also passionate about teaching, interdisciplinary collaboration, and finding unexpected intersections between science, technology, and creativity. From developing conservation-themed mobile games to generating mushroom-inspired AI art and poetry, I aim to foster curiosity and accessible engagement with the natural world.

Outside of academia, I enjoy doing anything outdoors- hiking, foraging, surfing, climbing, running etc. I also love to play guitar and make any kind of art or poetry. I believe that creativity and science are deeply intertwined, and I strive to bring a sense of wonder and playfulness to everything I do.

Botany-Mycology Graduate Student

Pringle Lab | University of Wisconsin–Madison