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Horticulture Faculty

Our faculty are a unique blend of researchers, educators and professionals who are proven experts in their fields.

Amy Boren, Instructor

Horticulture

Amy Boren has been sharing her expertise by teaching horticulture classes at SIU since 1991. Her previous experience included curriculum development in horticulture and conducting a horticulture program at a high school vocational center for 3 ½ years.



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SIU Amy Boren Office: Agriculture Building, Room 180-A
Phone: 618-453-3701
aboren@siu.edu

Jose Franco Da Cunha Leme Filho, Assistant Professor

Plant Biology, Horticulture, and Crop, Soil, and Environmental Management

Research:

Joint appointment in the School of Forestry and Horticulture and the School of Biological Sciences. The Cannabis Biology and Cultivation Systems lab focuses on areas of controlled environment agriculture, plant secondary metabolites, nutraceutical/pharmaceutical biology, and growing practices. 



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SIU Jose Franco Da Cunha Leme Filho Office: Agriculture Building 176 C
Phone: 618-453-2499
jose.leme@siu.edu

Kaitlyn Lamaster, Instructor and Program Coordinator

Horticulture

Kaitlyn Lamaster is an Illinois native, having earned her two degrees from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Kaitlyn has held many interests in horticulture, working mainly  in greenhouse management, small farm systems, season extension, and vegetable research. Before coming back to SIUC as an instructor, she served as a Horticulture Agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension and aided in statewide curriculum development geared towards small farms and  agent trainings.



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SIU Kaitlyn Lamaster Office: Agriculture Building, Room 180-C
kaitlamaster@siu.edu

Karen Midden, Professor Emerita

Horticulture

Karen Midden is an emeritus faculty member in the Horticulture program, as well as a registered landscape architect.

 



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SIU Karen Midden Phone: kmidden@siu.edu

Bradley Taylor, Associate Professor

Horticulture

Bradley Taylor is a fruit crops specialist whose life-long passion is getting to know, grow, and enjoy perennial fruit crops. Understanding and appreciating apples, peaches, berry crops and grapes, and winemaking are the missions of both work and hobby. His program focuses on the use of pruning, plant training, mineral fertility program, rootstocks and plant growth regulators to efficiently produce wholesome, delectable fruit. He has developed experience navigating the art and science of matching crop species, varieties and rootstocks with the specific field sites, growers and market opportunities. Learning how to manage the cultivation and use of fruit crops is very challenging, but sharing these experiences with students, growers, consumers and other professionals is this career’s greatest reward!

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Bradley Taylor Office: Agriculture Building, Room 176-B
Phone: 618-453-1781
hbtaylor@siu.edu

Laura Thomas, Instructor

Horticulture

Laura Thomas began teaching horticulture classes at SIU in 2018. Her previous experience included working at a landscape design build firm where she created design work as well as overseeing the maintenance crew.



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SIU Laura Thomas Office: Agriculture Building, Room 180-B
Phone: 618-453-7477
laurathomas@siu.edu

Alan Walters, Professor

Horticulture

Dr. Alan Walters is a Professor of Vegetable Science and Breeding in the School of Forestry and Horticulture at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale. He is also a prestigious Fulbright Research Scholar.



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SIU Alan Walters

Office: Agriculture Building 178
Phone: 618-453-3446
awalters@siu.edu
Curriculum Vitae

School of Forestry and Horticulture | College of Agricultural, Life, and Physical Sciences | 618-453-2469 |