As September ends, members of CASNR's Department of Plant and Soil Science are beginning to move into the new Bayer Plant Science Building. First into the facility are the department's administrative group and several research teams housed on the new wing's second floor. They include Jyotsna Sharma, associate professor of Plant Ecology and Conservation; Robert Wright, associate professor of Crop Genomics with joint appointment with Texas AgriLife Research; and Scott Longing, assistant professor of Entomology. In the building's renovated space, there is a new laboratory and a series of offices for faculty. Faculty members moving into new offices in this area are Katie Lewis, Wenwei Xu, Ed Hellman, Jason Woodward, Joey Young, Brendan Kelly, Noureddine Abidi, and Stephan Maas. Separately, Eric Hequet, chairman of Tech's Department of Plant and Soil Science, noted that Oct. 30 will mark a special day in the building's life. On that occasion he plans to hold a ribbon cutting for the new wing, an open house, and schedule the first meeting of the department's newly-appointed advisory board. The day will also feature induction of noted plant breeder and researcher Ellen Peffley to the department's Faculty Hall of Fame. The new Bayer Plant Science Building adds 21,122 square feet of new construction, and includes 2,440 square feet of renovation and exterior upgrades to the existing department space. The building project is funded by donations to Texas Tech, including lead contributions from Bayer CropScience.

CONTACT: Eric Hequet, Department Chair, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2838 or eric.hequet@ttu.edu

0923NM15 / PHOTO: N Martin