Plant Science and Landscape Architecture
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
2139 Plant Sciences Building
Phone: 301-405-4359
dcortez@umd.edu
http://psla.umd.edu
The Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture seeks to make a difference in Maryland and the world by increasing the sustainability and profitability of food and crop production, increasing access to safe, affordable and nutritious food for everyone, translating advances in plant biology and biotechnology to solve ‘real world’ problems in agriculture, to educate the next generation of agricultural and extension teachers, to increase Maryland farm number, to protect the Chesapeake Bay, and to create and restore landscapes to benefit human and ecosystem health. We strive to allow every student to make a difference in the world by ensuring they gain expertise in an area they are passionate about related to food, grain and fiber production, plant biology, ecology, education and landscape architecture. We aspire to ensure every student can have a rewarding, profitable career.
Our students learn how to 1) grow food (fruit and vegetables), grain, fiber and ornamental crops (flowers, trees and shrubs) profitably and sustainably, 2) lead, educate, and participate in the careful stewardship, planning, and artful co-creation of our cultural and natural landscapes, 3) use new cutting-edge technologies in plant molecular biology and genomics and plant breeding to solve crop production challenges in a changing world, 4) educate the agricultural and extension educators of the future, and 5) to reduce chemical use and increase farm profitability and number. We offer course options in horticulture (fruit, vegetable and ornamentals), agronomy (grain and fiber crops), controlled environment agriculture (fruit, vegetable and vegetable crops in hydroponic systems as well as aquaponics), urban agriculture, plant molecular biology and genetics, plant breeding, plant pathology and microbiology, ecology, food safety, landscape architecture and ecological design, and fermentation science including winemaking and beer brewing. Our courses are organized into three programs: Agricultural Science and Technology, Landscape Architecture, and Plant Sciences. We are also very excited about our new major in Fermentation Science that is jointly offered with the Department of Nutrition and Food Science focusing on how to use the fermentation process to produce a variety of products including beer, wine, yogurt, silage, cheese, and phytopharmaceuticals, among others.
Administration
Chair: J. Erwin (Professor & Chair)
AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Food (Fruit and Vegetable) and Ornamental Crop Production, Field Crop (Grain, Hay and Fiber) Production, Controlled Environment (Hydroponics) Production, Urban Agriculture and Food Safety
Faculty members in Plant Science and Landscape Architecture may also teach courses for this degree program. Courses taught under Plant Sciences (PLSC) may be prerequisites.
Director: M. Leiden Welsh
Professors: C. Beyrouty, J. Erwin, K. Everts, J. Sullivan, S. Xiao
Assistant Clinical Professors: D. Cochran, M. Welsh
Assistant Professors: M. Farcuh, N. Fiorellino, M. Hu, N. Rawat, C. Silvert, V. Tiwari
Professors Emeriti: S. Cohan, J. Lea-Cox, A. Murphy, C. Walsh,
AGRICULTURAL AND EXTENSION EDUCATION
Educating and Certification of Extension Specialists and Agricultural Teachers
Faculty members in Agricultural Science & Technology, Plant Science and Landscape Architecture may also teach courses for this degree program. Courses taught under Plant Sciences (PLSC) and Landscape Architecture (LARC) may be prerequisites.
Director: M. Welsh (Assistant Clinical Professor)
Assistant Professor: C. Silvert
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
Ecological Design, Urban Design, Community Design, Creative Design, Urban Agriculture Design, Therapeutic Landscapes
Faculty members in Agricultural Science & Technology and Plant Sciences may also teach courses for this degree program. Courses taught under Plant Sciences (PLSC) may be prerequisites.
Directors: D. Myers (MLA Program Chair & Associate Professor), D. Ruggeri (BLA Program Chair & Associate Professor)
Professors: C. Ellis, B. Kweon
Associate Professors: D. Myers, D. Ruggeri, J.B. Sullivan
Assistant Professor: N. Sachs
Lecturers: D. Cortez,R. Jawin, S. Russell, C. Vacelet, S. Wang, J. Wray IV, C. Yglesias
PLANT SCIENCES
Plant Biology, Plant Pathology, Plant Molecular Genetics and Plant Breeding, Ecology, Turf & Golf Course Management, Urban Forestry
Director: N. Rawat (Associate Professor)
Professors: C. Beyrouty, J. Culver, J. Erwin, K. Everts (Director-Wye Research Center), J. Feijo (Affiliate Professor), S. Micallef, M. Neel, J. H. Sullivan, S. Xiao
Associate Professors: M. Carroll (Director, ENSP), G. Coleman, W. Peer (Affiliate Associate Professor), Y. Qi, K. Tully, V. Tiwari
Assistant Clinical Professors: D. Cochran, G. Rinehart (affiliate)
Assistant Professors: M. Farcuh, M. Hu, N. Rawat, D. Rodriguez Leal
Lecturers: K. Petroff
Professors Emeriti: S. Cohan, J. Lea-Cox, A. Murphy C. Walsh
The department has mandatory faculty advising for each of its major and minor programs. Students are required to meet with their faculty advisor at least twice a year.
Faculty Advisors
| Concentration | Faculty Advisor |
|---|---|
| AGST: Agronomy | Melissa Welsh, drmwelsh@umd.edu |
| AGST: Agricultural and Extension Education | Melissa Welsh, drmwelsh@umd.edu |
| AGST: Environmental Horticulture | Diana Cochran, cochrand@umd.edu |
| Landscape Architecture | Deni Ruggeri, druggeri@umd.edu |
| PLSC: Plant Biology | Gary Coleman, gcoleman@umd.edu |
| PLSC: Turf & Golf Course Management | Mark Carroll, mcarroll@umd.edu |
| PLSC: Urban Forestry | Joseph Sullivan, jsull@umd.edu |
| Agricultural Science & Technology (Minor) | Melissa Welsh, drmwelsh@umd.edu (Agronomy); Diana Cochran, cochrand@umd.edu (Environmental Horticulture) |
| Landscape Management (Minor) | Mark Carroll, mcarroll@umd.edu |
| General Inquiries | Diana Cortez, dcortez@umd.edu |
See Diana Cortez, Faculty Specialist, in 2139 Plant Sciences Building (301-405-4359), or email dcortez@umd.edu for additional information.
Undergraduate Research Experiences
Students have abundant opportunities to conduct research with faculty from this department as well as related programs on campus. Research opportunities are also available at government laboratories such as USDA, NIH, etc.
Internships
A great variety of internships are available that range from with scientists at nearby federal and state agencies, to working with farmers, greenhouse growers and fruit and vegetable producers, to working with landscape architecture and urban planning professionals.
Student Societies and Professional Organizations
Students from the majors as well as any interested students on campus may participate in the Horticulture, Agronomy, and Student Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (SASLA) clubs sponsored by the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture.
Scholarships and Financial Assistance
Many scholarships and awards are available to PSLA students. Contact the Associate Dean's office at 301-405-2078 for additional information. The department also maintains a listing of scholarships. Contact the executive administrative assistant in 2104A Plant Sciences, 301-405-4356 for additional information on these scholarships.
The Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) administers all types of federal, state and institutional financial assistance programs and, in cooperation with other university offices, participates in the awarding of scholarships to deserving students. For information, visit: http://financialaid.umd.edu.