Biology - Plant Sciences - Focus

The Plant Sciences Focus at UW-Superior is a hands-on study program for students wanting real-world experience working with plants in natural and greenhouse environments.

As a Biology major with a Plant Sciences focus, you'll develop a strong background in all aspects of plant biology, ranging from how the world's smallest plants (duckweed species of the genus Wolffia, less than 1 millimeter long) are dispersed on the feet of waterfowl, in hailstones, and by tornadoes, and how the world's largest trees, coastal redwoods, seemingly defy gravity by moving water up over 100 meters from their roots to leaves. With small class sizes, you'll find excellent opportunities to develop close relationships with a faculty mentor and to carry out undergraduate research.

In the Stanley Oexemann University Greenhouse, you will have hands-on experiences growing plants and evaluating physiological responses to plant hormones and other environmental cues. You'll learn plant identification in the John W. Thomson Herbarium, founded in 1940 and currently holding nearly 6000 mounted plant specimens. Our herbarium supports an active research agenda for undergraduates and recent alumni, including current projects to catalogue the plant flora of Amnicon and Pattison State Parks in Wisconsin.

Students in the plant sciences also take advantage of the tremendous natural setting around Superior. The 140-acre Gordon MacQuarrie Wetlands and the forested, 77-acre Dutchman's Creek parcel serve as outdoor ecological laboratories for classroom and research purposes. Additionally, Douglas County, WI, is blessed with excellent natural examples of deciduous and coniferous forest, barrens, bogs, and beach/dune habitats.

Biology majors in the Plant Sciences focus are eligible for Swenson Scholarships that pay for up to four years of tuition and books. Other scholarships also are available.

Curriculum

The Biology major at UW-Superior is based in science and research. You will become broadly trained in biological principles, including coursework in introductory biology, ecology, cell biology, and genetics. Additional coursework in the Plant Sciences typically includes:

• Plant Physiology
• Plant Taxonomy
• General Forestry

Student Research

The Plant Sciences focus emphasizes opportunities for student-based research carried out in close cooperation with faculty. Many recent projects have focused on floristic research, documenting the plant species present in regional wetlands, coastal habitats, and parks. Other upcoming opportunities will include investigations of plant species distributional changes since European settlement, responses of plant communities to forest harvest, or surveys of invasive species.

What can you do with a degree in Plant Sciences from UW-Superior?

After completing this program, students will be have knowledge and skills that translate directly to career opportunities, including a broad base of plant background, specialized laboratory techniques, plant identification skills, and appreciation of management issues. Our recent students have accepted career positions at regional governmental agencies (e.g. DNR, U.S. Forest Service), local greenhouses, and biological consulting firms. Others have chosen to move on to a graduate education in the plant sciences, which is generally required for advanced positions such as college faculty or botanical researcher. The Botanical Society of America has an excellent website where you can find additional information regarding botanical careers (www.botany.org/bsa/careers/).

Alumni Highlights

Derek Anderson

Graduated: 2004 Current Position: Botanist/Plant Ecologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

"A number of my plant science and biology classes had hands on activities and direct interactions with professors that provided a wealth of opportunities that directly transferred into the real world."

"My plant science course work, mixed with classes in GIS, ecology, and geology demonstrated a diverse knowledge base. This, coupled with opportunities to work in the herbarium and other projects at the university led to my position with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources."

Jason Bramstad

Graduation Fall 2008 Internship with USFS monitoring crew Accepted into MS program in Forestry at Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI.

Brianne Looze

Graduation Spring 2009 Internship with U of M riparian vegetation survey crew.