Professor Sharon Lafferty Doty
Plant Microbiology Seminar (SEFS 522 & ESRM 422)
2 credits (CR/NC)
ESRM 422 SEFS 522 Plant Microbiology Seminar 2025
Course Description: Microbes are often essential for plant growth, providing nutrients, pathogen resistance, and increased tolerance to stress. Other microbes can cause plant diseases. Through weekly seminars, students will learn about the spectrum of plant-microbe interactions. In addition, students will conduct a literature review of a plant microbiology topic of their choosing, and write a short (1.5-2 pg) review, or write a paragraph summarizing each of the seminars. Graduate students doing research in plant microbiology can give a short seminar instead of the writing assignment.
8:30-9:20AM on Tuesdays
Syllabus and draft topics:
Jan 7- Prof. Sharon Doty (UW) on “The power of the plant microbiome” – IN PERSON
Jan 14- Prof. Gary Stacy – Rhizobium and soybean interactions – via ZOOM
Jan 21 – Dr. Aziz Turkoglu on “Truffles and Sustainable Ecosystems”– IN PERSON
https://www.alpinetruffle.com/aziz-turkoglu
Jan 28 – Prof. Simon Gilroy on Space Microbiology – via ZOOM
Feb 4 – Dr. Meijun Zhu via Zoom on Listeria monocytogenes and pathogen control strategies for fresh apples [she can due 2/4 or 2/25] – via ZOOM
Feb 11 – Dr. Caroline Daws on “Fungi, forests, and fire: Wildfire-induced changes in soil microbial communities affect seedlings in coast redwood forests” – via ZOOM
https://outercoast.org/current_staffulty/caroline-daws/
Feb 18 – Dr. Regina Redman – Here, there, everywhere: Symbiotic technology as tool to mitigate impacts of global climate IN PERSON
Feb 25 – TBD
Mar 4- grad student presentations
Mar 11- grad student presentations
EVALUATION FOR CREDIT
The students will prepare an outreach paper on an approved plant microbiology topic (1-2 pgs) for potential use in educational outreach for the International Symbiosis Society. Alternatively they may write a paragraph per topic, summarizing each of the seminars. In addition, students will be expected to participate in the seminar discussions and be prepared for class discussions by completing weekly related readings prior to class. Attendance (in person or via Zoom) is required. Graduate students doing research in plant microbiology can give a short seminar instead of the writing assignment (March 4 or 11).
Attendance and Participation (CoEnv statement): This course is designed to maximize your learning of the subject matter. Therefore, our attendance policy is aimed at supporting our educational goals.
Disability Accommodations
To request academic accommodations due to a disability, contact:
Disability Resources for Students
011 Mary Gates Hall
uwdrs@uw.edu
206-543-8924 (V/TTY)
Academic Conduct
At the University level, passing anyone else’s scholarly work (which can include written material, exam answers, graphics or other images, and even ideas) as your own, without proper attribution, is considered academic misconduct. However, for this course, it is not acceptable to copy and paste from a source, even when properly attributed, as it defeats the purpose of the assignment of researching and learning about the topic. When you submit the writing assignment, note your VeriCite score. If it is flagged as potential plagiarism (25% or higher), rewrite the flagged sections in your own words. Plagiarism, cheating, and other misconduct are serious violations of the University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478‐120). We expect that you will know and follow university policies on cheating and plagiarism. Any suspected cases of academic misconduct will be handled according to university regulations. For more information, see the College of the Environment’s Academic Misconduct Policy and the Community Standards and Student Conduct website.
Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).