Greenhouse manager keeps biology research alive

Patti Beedles  | Greenhouse Manager  | Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology 

Evolutionary research often starts with plants. In fact, the notion of recessive and dominant inherited traits was first documented in peas by Gregor Mendel. So it’s no surprise that KU faculty still use plants in teaching and research to this day.

That’s where Patti Beedles comes in.

Beedles is the greenhouse manager for the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. She manages two main greenhouses, one in Haworth Hall and one adjacent to Higuchi Hall in KU’s West District.

“One of Patti’s strongest attributes in handling her responsibilities is her ability to listen to others,” said Lena Hileman, professor and chair of ecology & evolutionary biology.

“She hears the plant collections and care needs of researchers and instructors at KU, reflects on their needs and comes up with actionable plans to meet their needs in a timely manner.”

Along with supervising three staff members, Beedles identifies plant care and facility issues that need to be addressed. Conversations with faculty inform this part of her work, and she joined a national professional organization of greenhouse managers to learn best practices from others in her field.

“Recently, Patti was instrumental in helping my lab develop a new soil mixture for our research plants,” Hileman said. “This new mixture provides better drainage and helps keep our plants healthy and our research on track.”

Another element of her work is public outreach. Beedles established “greenhouse office hours” every Thursday afternoon for members of the KU community to learn about the collections and see firsthand the beauty among the plants. She also works with local K-12 educators to bring students into the greenhouse, helping younger students see the relationships between plants and people.