Experiential learning is one of the hallmarks of an Ohio State ATI education, and new facilities dedicated on May 9 will play a significant role in providing hands-on opportunities for students in the greenhouse and nursery management program.
A new greenhouse range includes three greenhouses – a light-exclusion greenhouse with motorized black-out curtains, a propagation house, and a greenhouse dedicated to vegetable production, including hydroponics. A computerized automation system receives information from an adjacent weather station and adjusts environmental conditions accordingly.
Uttara Samarakoon, coordinator of Ohio State ATI’s greenhouse program, noted that the new greenhouses are vital to the future direction of the greenhouse programs, preparing students in an industry that is always evolving. The facilities especially complement Ohio State ATI’s new specialization in greenhouse engineering technology, which, according to Samarakoon, is filling a critical industry need.