The Departmental of Plant Science at Mahidol University was established in 1992, as announced in the 109th Royal Gazette dated September 18, 1992. Since then, the department has graduated 27 classes of undergraduates, 16 classes of graduates and 3 classes of doctorates, for the total of 374 students. Currently, there are 65 undergraduate 34 graduate students in the department. Our staff consists of 12 lecturers/researchers, 4 employers.
Most of our graduates decide to seek degrees in higher education, both within and outside the country. Many have been awarded prestigious scholarships, such as the Royal Thai scholarship, scholarships from Office of the Higher Education Commission, and from other institutes and universities. A significant portion of our graduates choose to pursue careers in agriculture and horticulture as researchers at the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), the Royal Project Foundation, universities, schools, and private companies, or as producers and exporters of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other decorative plants.
In 2004, our department, in collaboration with the Department of Pharmaceutical Botany at Mahidol University, launched an international program for Master’s degree in plant biotechnology and we are preparing to open a new Ph.D. program in plant biology and plant molecular biology in the near future.
Our department has recently improved the undergraduate curriculum by encouraging students with good academic standing (GPA>3.25) to participate in research projects, beginning in their 3 rd year, and continue to do research in their 4 th year, with an option to work abroad with our collaborators for their theses. Students can also continue to work on their projects for their Master or Ph.D. theses.
Our department continuously expands and improves our plant science-related programs— in the classroom, with updated lecture contents and pedagogy, in the laboratory, with current equipment and new technology, and in the fields to enrich student’s experience. Students are also taught by invited guest lecturers and researchers from Thai and international universities. In addition, students can participate in several conferences to present their research and discuss their opinions with senior scientists and their peers.
Other than teaching undergraduate and graduate students, our staff is committed to performing world-class research, in collaboration with other departments within Mahidol University and with other universities all over the world. The department also hosts a number of seminars in special topics, such as plant tissue culture, technology for orchid production, preparation of plant chromosomes, and botanical drawing. Other academic trainings provided by our department include internship in plant science, science camps, and support for science projects in other institutes and schools.