Department of Plant and Microbial Biology

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Department of Horticulture moved to Kilgore Hall.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 from NC State and then join the faculty.

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

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

Carol Janerette was the first African-American woman to earn a PhD degree in Botany.

The first women hired as professorial faculty members in botany were Wendy Farmer Boss (physiology) and Judith Fey Thomas (anatomy), who also became Assistant Director of the Phytotron.

The first African-American woman to earn an MS degree in botany was Deogratias Artis.

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

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

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