Title: Hidden Veggies: Strategies for integrating plant biology into courses and outreach programs.
Date: Mon Jun 20, 2026
Time: 11:45 - 12:45
Location: Room 206/208, Plant Biology 2026, Ottawa ON

Facilitators: 
Miranda Meents, Lecturer SFU, CSPB Education Director
Erin Friedman, Associate Professor UofLynchburg, ASPB Education Committee
Daisy Noe, ASPB Early Career Rep, Penn StateU
Mindy Findlater, Assistant Teaching Professor UC Merced, ASPB Education Committee
Jennifer Robison, Associate Professor, ManchesterU, ASPB Education Committee

Description: You know that plants are important, but do your students? Evidence shows that many people are not exposed to or lack appreciation for plants (Stagg and Dillon 2022). In this interactive workshop, we will explore ways to use plants to explain broader scientific principles—from genetics and ecology to chemistry and physics. Educators will learn creative strategies to help students discover the essential roles plants play across ecosystems, human health, and technological innovation. We welcome attendees at all career stages, from trainees to veteran instructors, including those in traditional classrooms, labs, and doing outreach work. The discussion will be guided by a panel of accomplished educators from both ASPB and CSPB who are passionate about plants and have extensive experience running workshops. Participants will leave with a toolkit of resources, including practical lesson plans for activities, ranging from one-minute examples and short adaptable activities to semester-long modules to foster a new generation of ‘budding’ plant enthusiasts.

Upon completion, participants will:

1. Appreciate the importance of incorporating plant examples into all biological courses
2. Have access to a body of existing plant biology teaching resources
3. Draft lesson plans for use in their own educational activities
4. Be able to generate a list of topics in which plants have been historically excluded
5. Develop outlines for tools to increase plant-based learning within the identified categories
6. Share ideas with other participants and colleagues
7. Have access to a collaborative document that summarizes the ideas discussed in the workshop and  topics covered

Objectives:

• Appreciate the importance of incorporating plant examples into all biological courses and have access to a body of existing plant biology teaching resources
• Generate a list of topics in which plants have been historically excluded and develop outlines for tools to increase plant-based learning within the identified categories
• Share ideas with other participants and colleagues and contribute to a collaborative document that summarizes the ideas discussed in the workshop and topics covered