APR Appendices
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THE PLANT BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT’S SELF STUDY FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW MARCH, 2013 THE PLANT BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT’S SELF STUDY FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW MARCH, 2013 SECTION ONE: GENERAL INFORMATION Name of the Program: Plant Biology Program Type: B.S., B.A., M.S. Field Naturalist, M.S., Ph.D. College in which the program is located: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (B.S., M.S., Ph.D.), College of Arts and Sciences (B.A.) Name of the Chairperson of the program, David S. Barrington Name of the Dean of the academic unit, Thomas Vogelmann Names of faculty writing the report David S. Barrington, Laura Almstead, Sarah Goodrich Date March 26, 2013 1 SECTION TWO: INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW A Brief History. The Department of Plant Biology was inaugurated as the Department of Botany 120 years ago. It has the longest record of commitment to graduate education of any department at the University of Vermont, having awarded the first three Ph.D. degrees granted by this institution. For almost a century, the plant science needs of the university and state were largely determined by traditional agriculture. In Vermont, the focus has shifted in recent years to non- traditional agricultural innovation and sustainable management of natural resources. Environmental science and molecular biology have become pre-eminent. In light of these changes, teaching and research in basic plant biology are even more central to the mission of the University and the College than they were a century ago. The late 1960s saw the inauguration of the first Biology major and introductory biology courses, which began our history of teaching with the Biology (then Zoology) Department. We continue to play a central role in the education of life-science majors, as we joined with Biology in developing the Integrated Biological Science major in 2005. In 1982, we inaugurated the Field Naturalist Program, leading to the unique and widely acclaimed two-year master's degree providing natural-science training for environmental professionals interested in careers in conservation. Ten years later, we welcomed members of the old Agricultural Biochemistry Department into our department, which set the stage for our continuing involvement in the teaching of undergraduate biochemistry. We changed our name from Botany to Plant Biology in 2006 to better represent our broad advocacy for all inquiry into the basic biology of plants. In 2010, we, along with the Plant and Soil Science Department, moved into the newly constructed Jeffords Hall, designed and developed by the University of Vermont with two goals in mind: 1) stimulating the advance of plant-science research and teaching at the University and 2) expanding the facilities for education in the life sciences at the University. Now well established in Jeffords Hall, the two departments represent the two major aspects of plant science—basic and applied—important to the students, the state, and researchers interested in plants. Present Status, an Abstract. Today, the Plant Biology Department comprises a faculty of 15 including 10 individuals with tenure-track appointments, supported by three excellent administrative staff (Appendices 2.2, 2.8). Collectively, we taught over 7300 student credit hours during 2011-12. Our effective student-to-teacher ratio is 23 to 1, reflecting the critical and central role we play in the teaching of biology to life-science majors as well as non-science students at the University of Vermont. Goals and Mission of our graduate and undergraduate programs. The Department of Plant Biology has served as the intellectual hub for plant-related science at the University of Vermont for over a century. Our overarching mission is to increase knowledge of plants and provide education in basic plant biology as we engage in fundamental research that explores plants at all levels of organization. We pursue these goals in the molecular and cellular areas through research and education in plant genomics, plant cell biology and cell imaging, intercellular signaling, plant resistance to pathogens, plant development, and plant-microbe interactions. In the area encompassing plant ecology, biodiversity, and conservation, we explore and contribute insights into plant biodiversity in an environmental context, including maintenance of species richness, traits of invasive species, the ecological effects of climate change, and patterns and origins of plant diversity. 2 Basic plant biology is emerging as key to the future prosperity of the human population. In the same way that basic medical researchers seek clinical solutions to fundamental challenges in human health care, as plant biologists we seek to provide the insights that make it possible to feed, clothe, and shelter our ever-larger population in spite of intensifying environmental concerns, especially climate change. To paraphrase the organizers of the AAAS Plant Biology Symposium in February of 2013, fundamental discoveries and sophisticated research in the plant sciences will provide new technologies, novel strategies, and practical solutions or mitigations to some of the major global challenges that face future generations. Major problems plant biologists can address include natural-resource sustainability, food security, global climate change, renewable energy, and human health and well-being. Furthermore, the study of model systems in plant biology contributes significantly to our understanding of general biological phenomena such as metabolism, diversification, and extinction. The Plant Biology Department, considering these national trends, is focused on achieving two fundamental goals: First, to discover new insights into the basic biology of plants through our research from the molecular to ecosystem level. Second, to educate as broad a community of undergraduate and graduate students as possible. These students are the people who will make decisions critical to the future of our species, which must be informed by our insights into plants, the source of all sustenance. Unique and Distinguishing Characteristics. The Plant Biology Department provides the University of Vermont with teaching, research, and service in basic plant biology. It is the only basic plant biology unit in the State of Vermont, and it is one of only 22 such departments in the country (listed in Appendix 2.1). Undergraduate Education. We offer the only undergraduate courses in basic plant biology at UVM, which are heavily enrolled by students seeking distribution courses in biology in general and plant biology in particular. These courses all take advantage of the rich diversity of plant life in the Champlain Valley and surrounding mountains. The resulting hands-on understanding provides insight into the relationship of plant function, plant diversity and distribution, and plant relationships to the natural community at large and to the abiotic environment. Enrollments in both the Biology (Appendix 3.2) and Plant Biology (Appendix 3.4) courses we teach are strong and expanding. SERVICE TEACHING. As a central member of the community of educators involved in the Integrated Biological Science major (BISC) and the BioCore curriculum, we contribute substantively to the life-science education of the undergraduates here at the University of Vermont. In addition, because of our excellent faculty with expertise in molecular biology and biochemistry, we are partners with the Biochemistry and Chemistry Departments in the University’s teaching of biochemistry to undergraduates. Our responsibility lies primarily with offering biochemistry as a service course to life-science majors in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. THE PLANT BIOLOGY MAJOR. We offer the same Plant Biology major to students in two colleges (B.A. in CAS and B.S. in CALS—Chart of the required curriculum for the major, Appendix 3.5). The major is grounded in a strong physical-sciences and mathematics preparation, with attention to developing strong analytic skills. Our two more specialized concentrations are 3 tailored to different career tracks for graduates, emphasizing two areas of specialization: 1) molecular biology and 2) ecological and evolutionary biology of plants. Undergraduate research experiences in the laboratory and the field are a high priority for us in advising our majors; these projects often lead to presentations at national meetings and peer-review publications. A unique experience often cited as life-changing by our undergraduate majors is the Plant Diversity in Tropical Plant Communities Field Trip offered every other year in Costa Rica. Graduate Education (Graduate Program descriptions, see Appendix 4.1) THE FIELD NATURALIST MASTER’S PROGRAM: We are proud to be the home of the Field Naturalist Program, one of the first professional master’s degree programs established at UVM. Developed by Plant Biology Professor Emeritus Hub Vogelmann in the early 1980s, the Program stands apart in providing graduate-level natural science training for environmental professionals interested in careers in conservation, with emphasis on scientific integration, communication, and environmental problem-solving. Enrollment is limited to a small number of mature, highly talented individuals who have demonstrated sustained interest in field sciences. THE PH.D. IN PLANT BIOLOGY/BOTANY: For over a century, plant biologists in our department have been training graduate students to become productive researchers and educators specializing in basic plant biology. Our thesis-based graduate