Students will gain a hands on, in depth experience of how to manage and implement an installation of a permaculture design.

This course discusses fundamental interactions between microbes, minerals, and organic matter responsible for carbon cycling, mineral weathering, and nutrient dynamics in soils. Through a combination of lectures and in-class discussions, we will examine the importance of these interactions for soil development, carbon storage, and fertility. Further, we will discuss the underlying mechanisms and suitable analytical methods for their investigation. Finally, we will examine how these mechanisms respond to global environmental change, and how this response in turn impacts soil functioning.

Biotechnology has experienced tremendous growth in last two decades and has transformed the areas of crop genetic engineering for food, fibers, biofuels and medicine. Plant tissue culture techniques facilitated the introduction of genes into plants for making crops resistant to herbicides, insects, production of edible vaccines, biofuels and healthy foods. Therefore, knowledge of plant tissue culture and transgene technology is highly desirable for preparing and training next generation scientists.

The ecology of major diseases related to food, from ergotism and the Salem Witch Trials to the Irish Potato famine to celiac disease and diabetes. How people, microbes and farming change our health and the environment. (Gen. Ed. BS).

In this hands-on class students will learn about permaculture basics while maintaining our on-campus permaculture demonstration gardens.

In this hands-on class students will learn about permaculture basics while maintaining our on-campus permaculture demonstration gardens.

Methods of diagnosing plant diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, and abiotic agents considered using specimens collected by students. Prerequisite: PLNTSOIL 505

Students will learn organic insect, disease, and weed control, greenhouse production and construction, irrigation practices, planting and fertility, harvesting and marketing techniques, as well as how to manage money, people and natural resources.

Permaculture mimics ecological systems to design gardens, farms and homesteads which have the resilience and benefits of natural systems. Human designed systems however cannot function without social systems such as decision making, communications, organizational structure, and policy. This course will use case studies, guest speakers and in class exercises to explore how to apply permaculture ethics and principles to a variety of social systems. Students will engage with methods and strategies that build capacity and resilience while leading to long term systemic change.

Satisfies the Junior Year Writing requirement for SUSFD majors. Practice and improve writing while clarifying career goals and improving professional communication skills.