By Andi Anderson
Purdue University has strengthened its agricultural research program with the appointment of Ryan Folk, Associate Professor in Purdue’s Department of Botany and Plant Pathology. Folk joined the university through Purdue’s Moveable Dream Hires program, which is designed to attract outstanding researchers and educators.
Bernie Engel, Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, welcomed the appointment, saying, “We are delighted to welcome Ryan Folk to Purdue Agriculture and the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology. His arrival reflects our continued commitment to bring exceptional faculty to Purdue who will advance high-impact science, mentor the next generation of students and scholars, and contribute meaningfully to our land-grant mission.”
Folk developed a passion for plants at an early age through gardening with family members and frequent visits to plant nurseries and botanical gardens. Although he initially studied accounting in college, his interest in biology and evolution led him to change career paths and pursue plant science.
During his academic journey, Folk focused on plant systematics, a field that studies plant origins and relationships over time. While pursuing graduate studies, he began researching Heuchera, commonly known as coral bells, a group of plants that helped shape his scientific career.
Reflecting on his graduate training, Folk said, “John was a very good advisor, very old school. Every Friday afternoon I’d have to come to his office and bring two to three organisms, with a paragraph about each one — why I wanted to study it, where the fieldwork would be, what hypotheses I had. Every week he’d say ‘No.’”
His research later expanded into plant hybridization and evolutionary history. Folk became known for studying how different plant species are related and how their genetic traits have developed over millions of years. His work also includes the study of plant nodules, which help crops such as soybeans, peas, and clover work with beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Before joining Purdue, Folk served as a faculty member at Mississippi State University, where he received recognition for research excellence and graduate student mentorship. He has now brought his research program, graduate students, and extensive plant collection to Purdue.
Looking ahead, Folk plans to expand research in transcriptomics, genome sequencing, and gene expression studies. These projects could provide valuable insights into plant diversity and support future agricultural improvements.
Tesfaye Mengiste, Professor and Head of Botany and Plant Pathology, praised Folk’s appointment, stating, “Dr. Ryan Folk is a nationally recognized plant evolutionary biologist whose research integrates evolutionary biology, systematics, biodiversity and computational biology to better understand the origin and diversification of plant life. His expertise will create exciting new opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. We look forward to the lasting impact he will have on our department, our students, and the broader plant science community.”
With his strong research background and commitment to innovation, Folk is expected to play an important role in advancing plant science and agricultural research at Purdue University.
Photo Credit: purdue-university
Categories: Iowa, Education