Big Plant on Campus: Hemp’ s 1st Ever College Credit
by Liz Mund One of my favorite classes in college was called East Asian Views of Nature. I’ m fairly certain I chose it solely because of its title— how different could views of nature be? Startlingly so, it turned out. The course literally opened my eyes to a universe I hadn’ t the tools to comprehend before. I took several more classes on the basis of name after that, and can’ t say I was ever disappointed. Well, Intellectual Roots of the Italian Renaissance was a dud. But I digress.
There are classes on the different views of just about every aspect of existence: from politics and religion to experimental physics, to chemical engineering and renewable energy, each subject with its own myriad of subtopics. Up until very recently, students of botany and environmental science have lacked access to the study of one critical plant species: hemp. For the first time in recorded U. S history, a university is offering college credit for a course specifically focused on the little green plant that is a major game player in our environmental future.
February 24 th of this year, sophomore students of Oregon State University( and students of accommodating schools via OSU Ecampus) were able to register for the first ever college course on industrial hemp. Spring term begins April 1 st, and by February 26 th, the class was full! WSE
266 Industrial Hemp is required for newly formed Renewable Resources majors, but is open to all OSU students and counts as a core credit class for science. The world of academia has made the first step towards recognizing the value and potential of a plant that has been illegal and ignored to the detriment of this country’ s pockets and carbon footprint. Hooray!
Anndrea Hermann, M. Sc, B. Gs, P. Ag, will be the lead instructor and is as close to an expert on the subject as one might imagine. Hermann is clearly passionate about her subject, as evidenced by her lengthy credentials and fifteen plus years in the Canadian and International Hemp Cannabis Industry. A series of twenty-six guest lecturers( all top researchers in the hemp industry) will augment her proposed curriculum, which will cover:
History( nationally and internationally), Botany, Pharmacology, Agronomy, Business, Breeding / Pedigree Seed Classification, Political Science, Hemp Nutrition Food Science, Hemp Body care & Cosmetics Applications, Fiber and Textiles, Hemp Paper, International Case Studies from South Africa and Uruguay, Animal Science( Chicken and Dairy Cattle feeding trials), Sealer Applications, Composites such as Panels, Matting, Insulation and Plastic type applications, Hemp in Building, Bioenergy and Nanotechnology— to name
some of the topics that will be covered.
Just some? Sounds to me like WSE 266 Industrial Hemp will prove to be worthy of more than a single semester course. If I had seen this course on a registry back in the day, I’ d have jumped on it by title alone, and by all appearances, OSU students did just that. Perhaps one day OSU will expand the focus on industrial hemp, creating a major based on the vastness of hemp’ s capabilities. Imagine: people educated with the truth that could expertly consult with farmers, government policy makers and the public about the potential of this botanical wonder plant …
WSE 266 was brought to OSU by Dave Seber from Hemp Shield, John Simenson OSU and he College of Forestry and will be led by Anndrea Hermann M. Sc., B. Gs., P. Ag
WSE 266 Industrial Hemp- Oregon State University ECampus Spring term registration dates: http:// catalog. oregonstate. edu / ChapterDetail. aspx? Key = 148 Course starts on Monday April 1, 2013 Fees for ECampus http:// ecampus. oregonstate. edu / services / tuition /
If you have never registered for a course at OSU, go to: https:// adminfo. ucsadm. oregonstate. edu / prod / bwskalog. P _ DispLoginNon Then register for the course: http:// catalog. oregonstate. edu / CourseDetail.
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