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Plant
Biology
will be one of the most active
fields of science in the 21st century.
Scientists
have begun unlocking the secrets of the plant world and are using that
information to fight hunger and disease, improve human health, develop
new
consumer products and pharmaceuticals, produce biofuels,
reclaim damaged and disturbed landscapes, protect biodiversity and
fragile
ecosystems, and to conserve vital natural resources.
This progress has been made possible by basic
scientific research in numerous areas of plant science, including
anatomy,
biochemistry, cell biology, ecology, genetics, molecular biology,
physiology,
and systematics. While some plant
biologists look below the cell
level to
understand the
differences and similarities between plants and other organisms, others
work
above the cell and organism level by examining the relationships and
interaction between plants and their environment.
Plant biology is a diverse field of science
where you can be intensely focused on a single question, or more
interdisciplinary questions, crossing over into other scientific fields
(microbiology, chemistry, zoology, human biology, medicine, computer
science,
physics, anthropology).
There
are a
variety of opportunities for students
trained in the fundamentals of plant biology and who may also have
practical laboratory
or field experience in plant biology.
An
undergraduate degree in Plant Biology can lead to careers
in education,
industry, research, as well as state and federal agencies. The Bachelor of Science
option in out undergraduate
degree has also been designed to prepare students for advanced graduate
study
in plant biology and other scientific disciplines.
Completing a graduate degree in plant biology
can lead to an even wider range of research and career opportunities. Regardless of the career
path you choose, you
will need a solid foundation on which to build your future. The Plant Biology program
at Southern
Illinois University Carbondale provides that foundation with a
challenging
curriculum that offers modern courses
in Plant Biology and opportunities for undergraduate research.
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