on-campus greenhouse

Meet the Mason Nation: Doni Nolan

Colleen Rich — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:29:51 +0000

Meet the Mason Nation: Doni Nolan Colleen Rich Thu, 10/20/2022 - 09:29

Doni Nolan

Job: Greenhouse and Gardens Program Manager, University Sustainability, and PhD Student in Biosciences, College of Science

As an undergraduate, Doni Nolan, BA Biology ’14, had no visions of a future profession until she visited the greenhouse on ��ӽ紫ý’s Fairfax Campus. “It was like a revolution in my life. Really, it was immediately so clear: This is what I want to do with my life,” she said. “This is everything I want. Soil, pots, a huge diversity of plants. I want to be a farmer.”

Doni Nolan in the Presidents Park Greenhouse. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

Favorite Part of the Job: The Presidents Park Hydroponic Greenhouse produces more than produce (at a rate of about 2,000 pounds a year for use in Mason’s kitchens by the chefs of food service provider Sodexo.) It also supports an academic purpose in giving volunteers and interns an introduction to the trade. “My favorite part is working with the students,” she said. “I love plants, for sure, that’s my passion, but if I just wanted to be a farmer I could work on a huge farm and run my own business. That’s lonely.”

Growing into the Job: Nolan began as a volunteer for the greenhouse with then manager Monica Marcelli, and at the Potomac Heights Organic Vegetable Garden. “I was that one student who would volunteer during finals when no one else would,” she said. She also helped revitalize the flagging student organization GMU Organic Garden Association (GOGA). “When I was president of GOGA I realized I’m a natural leader,” she said. She recruited new members just so she could teach more people about her passion. Before long, the Office of Sustainability hired her to be the unofficial Mason farmer.

Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

Branching Out: Her biology degree and various horticulture certificates were just the beginning. Nolan also completed a master of science degree in plant science and pest management with a concentration in agriculture and life sciences via an online program offered by Virginia Tech. Now she is working on her PhD in biosciences at Mason and studying beneficial microbes that treat Pythium root rot disease in hydroponic systems. Her master's thesis on hydroponic microgreen production has thousands of downloads and a handful of citations from researchers around the world.

Building More: What started as a small garden club has since been turned into an entire program run by Nolan and her four part-time wage staff. Together, they manage an aquaponics system with fish in the greenhouse, the Innovation Food Forest by the Johnson Center and a pollinator garden for the honeybees. They even added plants to the Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory, also known as the body farm at the Science and Technology Campus, to help with research being conducted there. The demand for sustainable landscaping and the need to address food insecurity are goals the Greenhouse and Gardens Program are committed to in the coming years, Nolan said.

Get involved and read more about sustainability at Mason by visiting green.gmu.edu.

This article originally appeared in the Mason Spirit magazine in a slighty different form.

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Meet the Mason Nation

Retro Mason: Presidents Park Hydroponic Greenhouse 2015

Colleen Rich — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 18:05:55 +0000

Retro Mason: Presidents Park Hydroponic Greenhouse 2015 Colleen Rich Thu, 04/07/2022 - 14:05

On April 21, 2015, ��ӽ紫ý held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Presidents Park Hydroponic Greenhouse, a ceremony led by Tom Calhoun, then vice president of Facilities, and the Board of Visitors member Buddy Beck.

Mason students, staff and faculty got their first looks at the newly renovated greenhouse that was part of Mason's push toward improved sustainability. Dishes created with produce grown at the greenhouse were served at the celebration.

In an agreement between Mason’s Office of Sustainability and Mason Dining, the greenhouse was expected to provide some 200 pounds of food to Ike’s and for catered university events, in exchange for funding of a part-time greenhouse staff position.

Before its rebirth as a food producer, the greenhouse was used to grow plants for biology and ecology experiments conducted by classes in the College of Science, which moved to a new greenhouse atop Exploratory Hall.

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on-campus greenhouse

The Secret's Out: Mason is a leader in sustainability research and practices

Damian Cristodero — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 17:03:52 +0000

The Secret's Out: Mason is a leader in sustainability research and practices Damian Cristodero Thu, 09/16/2021 - 13:03

A lush campus isn’t the only thing that makes Mason green. For years, the university has been a sustainability leader.

Mason has more than 125 “Green Leaf” courses in over 25 academic programs. Those courses provide valuable grounding in the properties of sustainability.

Did you know Mason researchers have tracked climate change perceptions for more than a decade? The Center for Climate Change Communication is a nationwide asset, with its research cited regularly by elite media, including The New York Times. The center partners with more than 600 meteorologists to communicate the regional effects of climate change, educates voters, and more.

With no better time to prioritize a healthier planet, Mason launched its Institute for a Sustainable Earth in 2019 to put ideas and research into action. It connects Mason Nation with policymakers, businesses and organizations to address pressing challenges.

The buzz on campus doesn’t only surround the Office of Sustainability, which drives everything from Mason’s carbon neutrality plan to its Greenhouse and Gardens program. Mason has50 beehives under its care, as one of many initiatives to help earth thrive.

Mason is also training the next generation of climate scientists.

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Meet Us

Greenhouse and Gardens program thriving despite COVID-19

Colleen Rich — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 14:54:11 +0000

Greenhouse and Gardens program thriving despite COVID-19 Colleen Rich Mon, 02/22/2021 - 09:54

Photo provided

When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in March 2020, the order came down to get rid of all the plants in the Presidents Park Hydroponic Greenhouse on ��ӽ紫ý’s Fairfax Campus.

It was out of an abundance of caution, said Doni Nolan, the Greenhouse and Gardens program manager.

“We didn’t know what the risks were,” she said. “We were so terrified that if we tried to donate the greens, they might have COVID.”

Eleven months later, the vibe is completely different.

The Greenhouse and Gardens Program—which runs the Presidents Park Hydroponic Greenhouse, the Innovation Food Forest and the Potomac Heights Organic Vegetable Garden—is building off a successful fall semester that provided students with a hands-on learning experience, thanks to the diligent efforts of Nolan’s staff in creating safe spaces to work.

Nolan said the program, which had no known COVID-19 transmissions, saw about 100 volunteers—primarily students—complete about 500 shifts and put in about 1,000 hours of service during the fall 2020 semester.

She said 16 students have signed on as interns for the Spring 2021 semester, a record for the program.

“Students are still required to do hours, and they want to do hours in person,” Nolan said. “And they feel safe doing it with us.”

For Nolan; Hala Elbarmil, who coordinates the Innovation Food Forest; Alexa Hines, who coordinates the Potomac Heights Vegetable Garden; and Lynn Ruffa, who coordinates the Presidents Park Hydroponic Greenhouse, the must-do list to make their areas safe was extensive.

At the greenhouse, which already had a ventilation system, other equipment was removed to create space for social distancing. Doorknobs and faucets are sanitized, hand sanitizer is available, masks are required, and students are asked to sanitize their phones.

In the gardens, gloves are given to the students in a plastic bag. The gloves are theirs for the semester, no sharing. Tools are sanitized as are the pens on the sign-in clipboard.

A maximum of 10 people, including two staffers, are allowed in the greenhouse at one time, Nolan said, and up to 15 people, including staff, can be in the gardens.

The Presidents Park Hydroponic Greenhouse gives students a rare opportunity to participate in a sustainable farm-to-table operation as the fresh greens—basil, cilantro, lettuce and microgreens—and tomatoes are grown there and sold to Mason Dining. The money helps sustain the greenhouse.

The Innovation Food Forest teaches students about sustainable agricultural design, outdoor composting, and the importance of preserving natural, outdoor green spaces. Plus, whenever volunteers are hungry, they can forage for strawberries, paw-paws, and medicinal herbs, all of which grow naturally.

The Potomac Heights Organic Vegetable Garden is co-managed by the GMU Organic Gardening Association (GOGA). Students at this site learn about outdoor composting, maintaining garden beds and harvesting produce such as peaches, kiwi fruit and figs.

Make an impact at Mason today. Join hundreds of on-site and virtual volunteers by creating a free account on the Office of Sustainability’s Sustainable Sign Ups portal. Please remember masks and social distancing are required. Additionally, Mason students can participate in the Greenhouse and Gardens Academic Internship Program to earn course credit while gaining hands-on skills.

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Students

National ranking puts Mason at the head of the table for campus dining

Damian Cristodero — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 13:30:58 +0000

National ranking puts Mason at the head of the table for campus dining Damian Cristodero Wed, 10/31/2018 - 09:30

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Mason Opens Hydroponic Greenhouse in Push Toward Improved Sustainability

admin_alpha — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 18:12:00 +0000

Mason Opens Hydroponic Greenhouse in Push Toward Improved Sustainability admin_alpha Wed, 04/22/2015 - 14:12

A natural gas-powered heater kicks in if conditions become too cold in the greenhouse, while a wet wall cooling system is used along with fans to cool things down and keep air moving through the space. Plants do not thrive in stagnant air, she says.

The greenhouse is special in that it is hydroponic. Instead of soil, it grows plants inside Rockwool, a sponge-like material that allows nutrient-rich water to reach the plants. Water is constantly recirculated for two weeks, after which all new water is pumped in, she says.

Special grow lamps emit only red and blue light because only light from that end of color spectrum is absorbed by plants. The lighting is eco-friendly in that it only costs a few cents a day to run and lasts for 10 to 12 years, Ward says.

Mason environmental science major Maryam Sedaghatpour was one of the first to tour the greenhouse on Tuesday and says she’s excited that it uses a soiless medium to grow plants.

“It’s a great way to grow food locally,” she says. “I love the idea of having food grown at [Mason] for students to eat.”

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on-campus greenhouse