Highlights from Fascination of Plants Day 2019

Mother and toddler examine strawberry DNA at MSU’s FoPD celebration. Image by Harley J Seeley Photography, copyright 2018 Michigan State University

The fifth international Fascination of Plants Day (FoPD) launched on May 18, 2019. Hosted under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO), FoPD aims to get as many people as possible around the world fascinated by plants and enthused about the importance of plant science. ASPB is the national coordinator for FoPD in the United States. Here are just some of the events that took place for FoPD during the month of May:

Plants Day at Michigan State University: Arts Go Green

Plant sciences met the arts in a collaboration between MSU plant scientists, the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University (MSU Broad), and the East Lansing Art Festival. The public explored the amazing world of plants including hands-on science and art activities, learned about the many benefits of plants, and met MSU researchers to learn about the exciting science that goes on at MSU.

Plant Science Destinations Tour

In conjunction with FoPD, Cornell’s School of Integrative Plant Science promoted Plant Science destinations in and around the Cornell campus through their Plant Science Destinations Tour. Featured sites opened everyday include Minns Garden, the Sustainable Landscape Trail, and Urban Eden Landscapes.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln FoPD 2019

Laboratories and other plant research spaces across the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus opened to local high school students in celebration of FoPD. Students had the opportunity to participate in two to three hands-on learning opportunities throughout the day, ranging from sample extraction and high-resolution mass spectrometry to learning how to garden and planting a plant.

Fascination of Plants Day at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)

Students and faculty celebrated FoPD on the UMBC campus with a variety of posters on many topics, including the usefulness of plants, plant diseases, genetic engineering, and fun facts about plants.  These posters were presented in conjunction with interactive activities with visitors such as plant related games and trivia. Students and faculty also brought vegetable and flower plants to give away and displayed their favorite plants for show-and-tell with the community.

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