Experiential learning in a living laboratory
Many faculty and students use the Center for Agricultural Sciences and a Sustainable Environment to complete coursework and gain hands-on experience. Classes in biology, botany, soils, turfgrass sciences and more use the facility to support course instruction through outdoor laboratory exercises.
Courses that utilize the center help students:
- establish and maintain lawn plots, including soil preparation, seeding, and more;
- understand the science and practical use of sustainable turfgrass cultural practices, including mowing and fertilizing;
- install and maintain an actual working irrigation system through trenching, piping, and wiring.
A number of undergraduate and graduate students have also used the center to conduct research, with several student projects being published in refereed publications.
Supporting the industry and our community
Penn State Berks proudly supports the community and industry through partnerships that foster research, outreach, community and economic development, and build upon the larger body of knowledge in plant and soil ecology, turfgrass science and more.
Agricultural sciences outreach and community engagement examples include:
- a number of field day events for institutions such as:
- Corteva Agriscience
- Lawncare Assocation of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council
- Turf Equipment and Supply Company
- Turf irrigation installation events that demonstrated irrigation installation and establishing and seeding a par-four golf hole and putting green
- evaluation of mushroom compost to support sustainable agriculture, lawn, and landscape management practices
- disease diagnostic workshops for the turgrass and mushroom industries
- installation of the weather station for the Pennsylvania Environmental Monitoring Network, a project completed with the cooperation of the Department of Meteorology at Penn State University Park.