Plants are everywhere and have so many purposes but often seem to go

unnoticed. However, we benefit from the fibres and medicinal chemicals they
provide us with, they are the source of our food and produce the oxygen that we
breathe. Plants are often seen as static creatures, almost like inanimate objects,
but really they are complex and interesting organisms. They are faced with many
of the same problems as animals: they are constantly needing to develop,
overcome competition, find food, undergo reproduction and avoid predators.
They also do all of this without the capability to get up and move.
Now Ive convinced you on the wonderfulness of plants, why should we study
them? Plant science is more traditionally seen as a softer subject underpinned by
the classification of plants and botanical drawings, this is no longer what plant
science really is (no matter how nice the botanical drawings are). Plant science is
essential to addressing problems of global food security; increasing the
productivity of crops to feed our ever increasing population whilst maintaining
the biodiversity that is important to sustain our ecosystem on which we depend.
Plant science can also help to alleviate the energy crisis and climate change.
Discovering more about the ways that plants grow and develop, as well as the
molecular processes that occur in the cells of plants are so important in aiding
these major world issues.
On a day to day basis, you may be learning about how cell walls expand, the
breeding mechanisms of plants or how plants photosynthesise (as well as many
other interesting concepts - the plant kingdom is your oyster!). Modules cover
topics from genetics and cell biology to global food security, biochemistry and
ecology and thats all in one year! I have the joys of molecular pharming, plant
biotechnology, soil science and plant cell signalling ahead of me. All this being
taught by world class researchers makes learning the subject exciting and real.
Learning through practicals as well as lectures makes the subject more hands-on,
by carrying out experiments involving field work, lab work and even computer
modelling sessions.
It is exciting to be studying a subject that has the potential to have a large
impact on the world. Despite the smaller number of participants (I am one of five
students in my year studying plant science at the university), everyone Ive met
from students to lecturers, has a real love of the subject and there is a great and
inspiring atmosphere that is achieved from being round so many plant people.
Although I love the biosciences in general, there is nothing better than being
able to study a whole degree about something you love. Plants are often not
covered enough at GCSE and A level biology, and when they are covered you
may find that the teacher skips over the part about plants as they find it boring (I
know, shocking). Studying plant science is a great way to use the knowledge
learnt in A level biology to learn more specifically about plants, it also ties in
several elements of chemistry too.
Before I came to university and I told people what course I was going to study,
they often responded with something along the lines of: Plant science? Is that a
thing? To those people Id respond, yes plant science is a thing, and a very
important and interesting thing indeed.