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Environmental Horticulture Graduate Program

Environmental Horticulture Graduate Program

Teagan Holly Young

Hi there! I come from the lovely town of Kalamazoo, MI, where my love for taking care of nature through horticulture first took root. In 2019, I made my way down to Gainesville, FL, enticed by the opportunity to join the respected University of Florida's Environmental Horticulture program. Although my initial studies at Western Michigan University didn't focus on plants, I discovered my true calling at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. There, I became a certified Master of Rain Gardening and got into sustainable homesteading.

As my path unfolded, I dedicated myself to learning all about environmental horticulture. I mixed formal education, community classes, and my own research. My days are a balancing act between school and work, but whenever I get a little free time, you'll spot me fully immersed in my garden, tending to my beloved collection of plants.

My dreams are big and centered around nature: I envision having my very own nursery for native plants. It won't just be a place to pick pretty flowers and herbs but also a hub for native landscape plants. Sharing knowledge is super important to me, so I plan to offer the community fun classes on gardening techniques and eco-friendly landscaping. My biggest hope is to spark the same love for the environment in others that drives me forward on this journey.

Advisor: Ryan Klein

Teagan's CV

Teagan's LinkedIn profile

Teagan Holly Young
teagan.young@ufl.edu

  • Education
    • Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida (Current)
    • Master of Science, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida (December 2021)
    • Bachelor of Science, Geography, Western Michigan University (December 2018)
    • Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Transfer Courses (December 2018) 
  • Recent Services and Honors
    • IPPS Southern Exchange to Europe | Fall 2023
    • Murial Rumsey Scholarship | Fall 2023
    • NACTA Graduate Student Teaching Award | Spring 2023
    • Bloom and Grow Garden Society Scholarship | Fall 2022
    • IPPS Southern Region Student Presentation Competition Award | Fall 2022
    • Vivian Munday Young Horticulture Professional Scholarship | Fall 2022
    • Florida Association of Native Nurseries Wild Meadow Magic Student Sponsorship | Fall 2022
    • ISA: Florida Chapter Student Ambassador | Summer 2022
    • Urban Landscape Summit Poster Award: Master Division | Spring 2022
    • Bloom and Grow Garden Society Scholarship | Fall 2021
    • Vivian Munday Young Horticulture Professional Scholarship | Fall 2021
    • Western Michigan University Achievement Award | Summer 2018
    • Dean’s List at Western Michigan University | Fall 2018
    • Western Michigan University Grant | Fall 2018
    • Dr. Oscar H. Horst Endowment for Geography Award | Spring 2017
    • Haenicke Institute for Global Education Abroad Scholarship | Spring 2017
  • Internship
    • GREEN ISLE GARDENS | Grower, Sales, and Landscape Design
    • ZAMIA DESIGN | Project Manager and Landscape Designer
  • Teaching
    • JANUARY 2023 – CURRENT
      Advanced Landscape Design | UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | Department of Environmental Horticulture
    • AUGUST 2022 – CURRENT
      Residential Landscape Design | UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | Department of Environmental Horticulture
    • JANUARY 2022 – APRIL 2022
      Florida Native Landscaping | UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | Department of Environmental Horticulture
    • AUGUST 2020 – DECEMBER 2020
      Greenhouse And Nursery Crop Culture | UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | Department of Environmental Horticulture
    • August 2017 – December 2018
      Physics: Waves and Optics | WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY | Department of Physics
  • Research

    I am currently working on several studies related to climate change, which has become a growing concern over the past five decades. The projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggest that average global surface temperatures are likely to increase by 1.5°C (2.7°F) to 2°C (3.6°F) within the next century. One current study aims to assess the impact of rising temperatures on various commonly used urban tree species in Gainesville, Florida. I am using a greenhouse to expose selected tree species to temperatures ranging from 37°C (100°F) to 43°C (110°F) to simulate potential future global temperature scenarios. A second Study looks at Urban heat islands (UHIs) which are a noticeable consequence of climate change. The study aims to develop an assessment system to evaluate how effective parking lots are at mitigating the effects of urban heat islands. Subsequently, I will propose suitable parking lot designs to minimize these effects in Gainesville, Florida. After creating this assessment, I will analyze parking lot tree canopy regulations, past and current parking lot codes, and municipal codes. 

  • Publications

    PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION

    • Young T, Wilson SB, Thetford M, Colee J. 2022. Cutting propagation of four Florida native taxa of wild coffee (Psychotria sp.). Native Plants Journal 23(3):288–297.

    PRECEEDINGS

    • Young T, Wilson SB, Thetford M. 2022. Effects of Auxin and Taxa on Rooting Performance of Vegetatively Propagated Wild Coffee (Psychotria sp.). International Plant Propagator Society Southern Region. Graduate student Competition. Athens, Georgia.

    POSTER PRESENTATIONS

    • Young T, Wilson SB, Thetford M. 2022. Effects of Auxin and Taxa on Rooting Performance of Vegetatively Propagated Wild Coffee (Psychotria sp.). International Plant Propagator Society Southern Region. Graduate Student Competition. Athens, Georgia.
    • Young T, Wilson SB, Thetford M. 2022. Cutting propagation of four native taxa of wild coffee (Psychotria sp.). Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology, Urban Landscape Summit. Graduate student two-minute lightning round. Gainesville, Florida.

    ORAL PRESENTATIONS

    • Young T, Wilson SB, Thetford M. 2022. Effects of Auxin and Taxa on Rooting Performance of Vegetatively Propagated Wild Coffee (Psychotria sp.). International Plant Propagator Society Southern Region. Graduate student Competition. Athens, Georgia.
    • Young T, Wilson SB, Thetford M. 2022. Cutting propagation of four native taxa of wild coffee (Psychotria sp.). Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology, Urban Landscape Summit. Graduate student two-minute lightning round. Gainesville, Florida.