Welcome to TREEBUD
This is the site for a project in the Biology Department at ODU that is designed to increase plant awareness and enhance training in the plant sciences for undergraduate students. Did you know that plants are instrumental in confronting numerous issues of national and global significance, including food security, habitat conservation, climate change mitigation, the biodiversity crisis, and human mental health and well-being? Despite the overwhelming applicability of plant biology in many sectors, professional and educational training in botany at colleges and universities has been in decline since the mid-20th century. With project TREEBUD, we want to reinvigorate plant biology at ODU by enhancing our course offerings, increasing student involvement and representation, and preparing students for individualized futures through tailored mentorship, professional development, and research experiences. Over the next three years, we will be implementing a new Impact Learning Community in plant biology for incoming freshman, recruiting undergraduates for paid research experiences in the summers, and revamping the botany course with some exciting new activities to give students not only the basics for understanding how plants live on earth but also key skills that are important for plant-focused careers. You can read more about each of these initiatives by clicking on the links above.
Meet the Team
Dr. Lisa Wallace is the J. Robert Stiffler Professor of Botany at ODU. She teaches courses in general botany, plant identification, plant geography, and ethnobotany. Her research focuses on understanding the great diversity of plants, including how new forms evolve and spread across the landscape. She has a particular fondness for native orchids, but she has also studied many other types of plants. You can read more about her specific research projects at https://fs.wp.odu.edu/lewallac/.
Dr. Taylor Sloey is an assistant professor in the department of Biological Sciences and oversees the Wetland Plant and Restoration Lab at ODU. She teaches courses in plant ecology, plant physiology, wetland delineation, and restoration ecology. Her research focuses on understanding how plants and wetland ecosystems respond to changes in environmental drivers in a context that informs ecosystem management, conservation, and restoration. Learn more about her lab at: https://taylorsloey.weebly.com/
Dr. Erik Yando is an assistant professor in the department of Biological Sciences and oversees the Coastal Plant and Ecotone Ecology Lab at ODU. He teaches courses including wetland plants, botany, marine ecology, and wetland delineation. His research focuses on plant-soil interactions and the ecological processes that drive species range expansion and ecotone. Learn more here: https://erikyando.weebly.com/
