Tom Michaels

Professor
[email protected]
6126247711
305 Alderman Hall

1970 Folwell Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Education
  • Ph.D. University of Wisconsin - Madison, Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics 1981
  • M.S. University of Wisconsin - Madison, Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics 1979
  • B.A Wittenberg University, Biology, 1977
External Affiliations

Open Source Seed Initiative

Areas of Interest

plant breeding and genetics

Biography

I'm the son of a teacher and an engineer. I see threads of my parents' careers in my own love of learning and attraction to technical tinkering. I discovered plant breeding as an undergraduate when thumbing through graduate school catalogs wondering what I could do with my curiosity about botany and genetics that would keep a roof over my head and put food on the table. Lucky for me, I love what I do and so far it is working out.

Teaching

I'm passionate about developing and delivering effective undergraduate learning experiences for my students in face-to-face and online formats. I currently teach HORT 1014 - The edible landscape, FDSY 2101 Plant Production Systems, HORT 5480 -Knowing and naming the plants we eat. I've also recently taught HORT 1001- Plant Propagation, FDSY 1903 - An eater's guide to the food system and IFSL 7011 - Food Production, Processing, and Supply Chains.

Research

I enjoy investigating phenotypic variation among plants, determining whether it has a genetic basis, and using the available genetic variation to select for improved cultivars. My current work focuses on dry edible beans, industrial hemp, sweet sorghum and lettuce for organic and small farm production systems.

Select Publications

  • Jones, CR, Michaels, TE, Schmitz Carley, C, Rosen, CJ, Shannon, LM. Nitrogen uptake and utilization in advanced fresh‐market red potato breeding lines. Crop Science. 2021; 1– 18.
  • Michaels, T. E. 2020. The easiest-ever hydroponic garden. The Old Farmer's Almanac Garden Guide 2020 
  • Tautges, Nicole, Claire Flavin, Thomas Michaels, Nancy Ehlke, John Lamb, Jacob Jungers and Craig Sheaffer. 2017. Rotating alfalfa with dry bean as an alternative to corn-soybean rotations in organic systems in the Upper Midwest. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. 34. 1-9.  
  • Khanal, Raja, Terry Rupert, Alireza Navabi, Thomas H.Smith, Thomas E. Michaels, Andrew J.Burt, and Karl P.Pauls. 2016. Bolt common bean. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 96: 218-221.
  • Khanal, Raja, Thomas H.Smith, Thomas E.Michaels, and K. PeterPauls. 2016. Dynasty kidney bean. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 96: 215-217.
  • Swegarden, H. R., Sheaffer, C. C., & Michaels, T. E. 2016. Yield Stability of Heirloom Dry Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Cultivars in Midwest Organic Production, HortScience horts, 51: 8-14.

Honors and Awards

  • Horace T. Morse-Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education.  Minnesota Alumni Association.  2020
  • ASHS Outstanding Undergraduate Educator Award.  American Society for Horticultural Science.  2019
  • Innovation in Undergraduate Education.  College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota.  2012
  • Honorary Life Member.  Canadian Seed Growers' Association.  2001
  • Distinguished Teaching.  Ontario Agricultural College Alumni Association, University of Guelph.  1997
  • John Bell Award for Distinguished Teaching.  University of Guelph Senate. 1996
  • Distinguished Professor.  University of Guelph Faculty Association.  1994.