Department of Plant and Microbial Biology

Department of Plant and Microbial Biology
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1880s

10/1889 First botany courses offered

Botany courses were offered when the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts opened. One of the first five faculty members at the university was Wilbur Fisk Massey, Professor of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Plant Biology, and horticulturist of the experiment station.

Professor Wilbur Massey portraitProfessor Wilbur Massey portrait

1890s

1890 Microbiology curriculum established

Microbiology courses became a part of the curricula in the zoology and botany departments.

circa 1890 Entomology curriculum established

The entomology curriculum was taught within the Department of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Botany.

1900s

1902 Botany curriculum established

Botany curriculum was taught as a component of the botanical instruction program.

1905 Department of Horticulture moved

The Department of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Botany moved to Patterson Hall, originally known as Agricultural Hall.

1910s

1910 First master's in botany awarded
1912 Botany curriculum redesigned

The botanical instruction and botany programs were separated. Botany classes were taught as a part of the agriculture curriculum.

1919-1949 Dr. Bertram Whittier Wells served as department head

Ecologist Bertram Whittier Wells was hired as head the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology in 1919, known later as the Department of Plant Biology. He taught at NC State until 1954.

Bertram Whittier WellsBertram Whittier Wells

1920s

1925 First undergraduate degree in biology awarded

The first undergraduate degree in biology earned by a botanist was awarded to Larry Alston Whitford.

4/14/1927 B. W. Wells gave lecture

Dr. B. W. Wells gave a lecture on plant evolution as a part of the Phi Kappa Phi lecture series.

1940s

1945 Department of Botany and Plant Pathology established

A plant pathology section was created within the School of Agriculture, and a new Department of Botany and Plant Pathology was created.

1949-1958 Dr. Donald Benton Anderson served as department head
Donald Benton Anderson portraitDonald Benton Anderson portrait

1950s

1950 Division of Biological Sciences created

The Division of Biological Sciences was created, and plant pathology was the largest of five units.

1950 First PhD degrees in botany awarded

The first PhD degrees in botany awarded at the graduate school were conferred to Willie Mack Dugger and Albert Boyd Pack (physiologists).

1953 Eloise Johansen awarded degree

Eloise Johansen was first woman to earn a MS degree in botany.

1956 Department of Horticulture moved

The Department of Horticulture moved to Kilgore Hall.

Kilgore HallKilgore Hall
1958 Department of Botany and Bacteriology established

The Department of Botany and Bacteriology was created and replaced the Division of Biological Sciences.

1958-1963 Herbert Temple Scofield served as department head

Herbert Temple Scofield served as head of Department of Plant Biology and Bacteriology.

1960s

1962 Institute of Biological Sciences created

The Institute of Biological Sciences was created. The Department of Botany and Bacteriology became one of the five divisions within.

1964-1977 Glenn Ray Noggle served as department head
Dr. G. Ray Noggle in labDr. G. Ray Noggle in lab
1965 Department of Botany and Bacteriology divided

The Department of Botany and Bacteriology was divided. The Department of Botany and the Department of Microbiology was established.

1966 Elizabeth Jean Chappell awarded degree

Elizabeth Jean Chappell was the second woman to earn a master's degree in botany.

1967 Yoon Kim awarded PhD

Yoon Kim was the first woman to earn a PhD degree in botany (phycology).

1968 Jane Green McNeary awarded degree

Jane Green McNeary was the first woman to earn an undergraduate degree in botany.

1970s

1971 Institute of Biological Sciences dissolved
1971 Second African American earned PhD

Augustus M. Witherspoon became the second African American to earn a PhD at NC State. He received a PhD in botany and was the first African American to receive a doctoral degree and then join the faculty.

Augustus WitherspoonAugustus Witherspoon
1971 Tommy Elmer Wynn hired in botany department

Tommy Elmer Wynn was the second African American faculty member hired in botany (physiology).

1972 Carl Ray Barnes awarded degree

Carl Ray Barnes was the first African-American student to earn an undergraduate degree in botany.

1977-1985 Jerome Philip Miksche served as department head
Jerome Miksche portraitJerome Miksche portrait

1980s

1985-1994 Ernest Davis Seneca served as department head

1990s

1995-1999 Eric Davies served as department head
1999-2018 Margaret E. Daub served as department head

Margaret E. Daub (plant pathology) was the first women hired as department head of botany.

2000s

2006 Department of Botany renamed

The Department of Botany was renamed the Department of Plant Biology.

2010s

07/01/2013 Department of Plant Biology renamed

The Department of Plant Biology became the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology. More historical information was hosted on the department's website.

2018 Robert Franks hired as new department head