ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst

The Department of Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences (PSIS) was 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 the department specialized in areas ranging from molecular genetics to management of whole plants and insects. The main focus areas of PSIS were emphasized in the Department's Plant & Soil Sciences Division (which included the Plant Pathology Program), and the Entomology Division. The breadth of our department was 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. In the Fall of 2012, the Department was absorbed into the Stockbridge School of Agriculture within the College of Natural Sciences.