Department Chair: Dr. Stephen M. Rich
The Department of Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences (PSIS) is part of the College of Natural Sciences at UMass Amherst. PSIS was formed by merging the Departments of Plant & Soil Sciences with Entomology. At the same time, several Plant Pathologists on campus joined PSIS, and now the department specializes in areas ranging from molecular genetics to management of whole plants and insects. The main focus areas of PSIS are emphasized in the Department's Plant & Soil Sciences Division (which includes the Plant Pathology Program), and the Entomology Division. The breadth of our department is extensive, covering areas like genetic engineering to enhance plant uptake of heavy metals to ameliorate contaminated soils; medical entomology to fight menaces like malaria, eastern equine encephalitis and Lyme disease; herbs and medicinal plants and natural products; integrated pest management; turf science; sustainable agriculture and many other fields that may be of potential interest to you.
Browse the Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences Department Collections:
Entomology Masters Theses Collection