By: Chase Merwin
Campus curiosities beg the question: what’s new at the greenhouse?
The renovation of Agenstein Hall in 2010 brought with it a new greenhouse which allows more accessibility, convenience and research opportunities for the biology department. This greenhouse serves many classes across the biology department, from organismal biology to plant physiology.
Dr. Tilottama Roy, assistant professor of biology, said that her classes heavily emphasize and require use of the greenhouse.
“For the time being, I am actually growing some plants that I use for my BIO105: Organismal Biology course,” Roy said. “I use those plants – soybean plants and radish plants – for one of my labs.”
Dr. Csengele Barta, assistant professor of biology, said she also extensively utilizes the greenhouse for her classes.
“We use the greenhouse actively for a variety of different projects,” Barta said. “I teach plant physiology and plant morphology. My students are always doing independent research projects, so they typically do that in the greenhouse.”
Dr. Barta said much of her research within the greenhouse is conducted during the summer, which focuses on the effect of humidity on plants.
According to Dr. Jason Baker, professor of biology, the greenhouse’s accessibility allows the department’s students to get more “hands-on” for their independent projects.
Western’s greenhouse is special in that it isn’t simply a show greenhouse, rather it is uniquely divided into three different sections. Each of the three compartments is regulated through an automated system which reads and adjusts the environment independently depending on the needs of the plants.
Many people are involved in the greenhouse, from department faculty to the Tri Beta Biological Honor Society to student workers. According to Dr. Baker, the greenhouse’s day-to-day operation is run by all of these individuals.
“Thankfully, we’ve had some folks here within the biology department including- not only faculty- but some student workers as well,” Dr. Baker said. “They’ve all been really in-tune with maintaining the greenhouse as needed. We also have a great facilities crew here on campus, and they’re very responsive when we have any issues.”
Jeremy Brown, a work-study student heavily involved in the operation of the greenhouse, said his role is to maintain and take care of the plants being grown inside. He also uses the greenhouse for research projects.
“I’m looking at the geranium plants that we have in there because, over the summer, they started blooming and getting seed pods, which is something that Dr. Barta had not seen before,” Brown said. “My project is to grow the seeds and see if they’re cross-pollinating between each other.”
Agenstein’s greenhouse is beneficial to everyone involved. Not only is the biology department faculty able to conduct research professionally through the high-tech capabilities of the greenhouse, but students are able to get practical experience for their studies. All this, in turn, elevates the quality of education for Western’s biology students.
