Purdue News

March 26, 1999 Purdue horticulture and landscape department gains new head WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- After doing the job on an interim basis for the past nine months, Edward N. Ashworth has been named head of Purdue University's Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. He succeeds William R. Woodson, who last July became director of Agricultural Research Programs for Purdue's School of Agriculture. "We are very pleased to have Ed Ashworth heading up the Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department," said Dean of Agriculture Vic Lechtenberg. "His leadership skills and vision are going to be a real asset to both the department and the School of Agriculture." Faculty in the department are involved in a range of activities, including landscape architecture, production horticulture, horticulture marketing and genetic engineering. Ashworth said he wants them to provide top-notch education for students, as well as leadership in research. "Biotechnology is rapidly changing all fields of biology, and agriculture is no exception," he said. "Our department needs to maintain leadership in applying technology to horticultural crops, and to train our students to use this emerging technology." Ashworth joined the department in 1987 after working for 10 years as a plant physiologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland and West Virginia. He often has lectured in the United States and abroad about his main area of research: freezing injury and winter survival in woody plants. His search for the traits and genes that help plants live through freezing weather is aimed at helping plant breeders develop hardier ornamental trees and bushes, and more cold-tolerant fruiting plants such as peach trees and blueberry bushes. But he hasn't spent all of his time in the laboratory. For three of the past four years, students have named Ashworth the Outstanding Teacher in Horticulture. In "Fundamentals of Horticulture," a beginning course for students from all across campus, enrollment has nearly doubled since he took over in 1992. Ashworth also counsels 31 undergraduate horticulture students, helping them select courses and look for jobs after graduation. Source: Edward N. Ashworth (765) 494-1306; ashworth@hort.purdue.edu Writer: Rebecca J. Goetz (765) 494-0461; rjg@aes.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: A color head-and-shoulders photo of Edward Ashworth is available from Purdue News Service, (765) 494-2096, and at the ftp site. To the Purdue News and Photos Page