Experiential learning in a living lab
Many faculty and students use the Center for Agricultural Sciences and Sustainability to complete coursework and gain hands-on experience. Classes in biology, soils, turfgrass sciences and more use the facility to support course instruction through outdoor laboratory exercises.
Courses that utilize the center help students:
- establish turfgrass plots, including soil preparation, seeding, and more.
- understand cultural practices, including mowing, fertilizing, and core cultivation.
- install irrigation through trenching, piping, and wiring.
A number of undergraduate and graduate students have also used the center to conduct research, with several student projects being published in refereed publications.
Supporting the industry and our community
Penn State Berks proudly supports the community and industry through partnerships that foster research, community and economic development, and build upon the larger body of knowledge in turfgrass sciences and more.
Agricultural sciences outreach and community engagement examples include:
- a number of field day events for institutions such as:
- Corteva Agriscience
- Lawncare Assocation of Pennsylvania
- Southeastern Pennsylvania Turfgrass Industry
- Turf Equipment and Supply Company
- Turf irrigation and establishment (events that demonstrated irrgation installation and establishing and seeding a par-four golf course)
- disease diagnostic workshops for the Laboratory Turgrass and Mushroom industries
- installation of the weather station for the Pennsylvania Environmental Monitoring Network, a project completed with the cooperation of the Department of Meteorology at Penn State University Park.