Alexander Schaller is a Ph.D. student in the Environmental Horticulture Department. Growing up he has always held a fascination for the natural world, especially plants. He received his bachelor’s degree in Plant Science and Agricultural Economics and Management from the University of Arizona. During his time at the University of Arizona, he worked in numerous different labs ranging from controlled environment agriculture to plant genomics looking to gain experience in a wide array of plant science topics. Upon graduating from the University of Arizona he moved to Washington to complete his Masters in Horticulture at Washington State University where he worked on Apple genetics. His thesis looked to develop a method that would allow genotypic information to be deduced from SNP haplotypes. Something that could not only be done for apples but also expanded to other crops that had SNP arrays. Currently, he is a graduate student under Dr. Deng working primarily on genetics and breeding of pomegranates for both production as well as ornamental purposes. Outside of work and school, he enjoys exploring, photography and plant collecting.

Alexander Schaller CV (pdf)

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Zhanao Deng

aschaller@ufl.edu

• EDUCATION
  • 2013-2017 Bachelor of Science in Plant Science and Agricultural Economics and Management, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
  • 2018-2020 Masters of Science in Horticulture, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
  • 2020-Present Ph.D. in Environmental Horticulture University of Florida
• RECENT SERVICES AND HONORS
  • Bloom and Grow Scholarship 2023
  • Orlando Garden Club Scholarship 2022
  • Grinter Fellowship 2020-2023 
• PUBLICATIONS

  GOOGLE SCHOLAR

• RESEARCH

  My Ph.D. research focuses on genetics and breeding of pomegranates for both production and ornamental use. This includes surveying germplasm for disease resistance to fungal pathogens, sequencing many unique individuals, developing new populations and looking at inheritance of both disease-resistance traits as well as ornamental traits such as double flowers or dwarfing.

• Teaching
  • Teaching Assistant for PLS3223/522C Fall 2022 

LinkedIn