Over the next two weeks, you’ll play two different roles. First, you’ll play the role of a plant pathologist recently hired by the Lawrence County Farming Agency. Dr. Colleen Peterson will be your supervisor. At her request, you will work to identify a mysterious fungus in Lawrence County wheat fields and then recommend action local farmers can take to deal with the fungus.

You’ll then continue on in the rotation as a plant pathologist, but this time you’ll be working for the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, specifically serving on the Ug99 taskforce. Ug99 is a wheat rust, which poses a major threat to the world’s food supply. As a member of the taskforce you will report to the director, Armando Russo. You’ll be asked to evaluate several proposals that have been submitted to the taskforce. You’ll carefully analyze each one and ultimately recommend one for funding.

What is a plant pathologist?

A plant pathologist is a scientist specializing in the study of plant diseases. Plant pathologists work to promote plant health by studying plants and plant pathogens. They work to understand the causes of plant disease and how those diseases affect the quality and growth of the plant and ultimately, how those diseases can be overcome.

What will I do during this rotation?

This project is a simulation that will exercise your knowledge of biology – as well as your skills in problem solving, research, analysis, writing, and presentation. You will work to identify plant disease and recommend methods for treating those diseases. You'll also have a chance to look at the what other scientists are recommending as potential solutions to serious plant problems. You'll get to evaluate their ideas and ultimatly recommend one idea for implementation.

I’m not a real plant pathologist, how will I know what to do?

This rotation provides many resources, including step-by-step guides, to help you think through the problem you are solving one step at a time. You’ll also be working in a team, so you’ll be able to bounce ideas off your teammates, and give and receive feedback from them. Finally, a mentor will be available to help you when you have questions, and will give you feedback on your work.

How do I get started?

Simply click on Task 1: Lawrence County Farming Agency in the left menu. You will see Dr. Peterson’s first email to you, describing what she would like you to do. Once you’ve read this email, you can look at the Get Help section of the task for a step-by-step guide and other resources to help you do your work.