The worlds of science and business are increasingly interconnected, creating strong demand for individuals who can bridge these two disciplines. Systematics is the science devoted to the discovery, description, and classification of the earth’s biological diversity. The need for an accurate and comprehensive knowledge of biological diversity is now recognized by a broad array of interests in the public and private sectors. Plants and fungi are the focus of current initiatives in the conservation of endangered species, the restoration of native ecosystems, and the control of invasive weeds. Industry, private environmental consulting firms, and government agencies have an increasing need for individuals with expertise in plant identification and experience in survey techniques. The Professional Science Master’s (PSM) in Applied Systematics in Botany at OSU is the first program of its kind in the Pacific Northwest and was created with the help of professional affiliates employed in leadership roles in plant biology and conservation. The objective of this degree is to train students to be able to function effectively in a variety of work environments. Special training in business management, communications, and ethics complement core science curriculum, and students are required to complete an internship in lieu of thesis research.

taken a government position (27%), e.g. US Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Geological Survey, Oregon Department of Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture, US National Parks Service taken a post-doctoral positon (17%) taken a non-tenure track or tenure track position at a College or University (18%) worked as Research Assistant in a University (16%) worked in the private sector (9%) worked for non-profit organization (5%), e.g. Institute for Applied Ecology entered a PhD program (5%) worked in K-12 Education (2%)