The Graduate Student Organization of Plant Physiologists members have launched a new campaign to focus on getting more students involved.

The 30-member group, which has been around for eight years, has several goals for the future. One goal is to give the graduate students of Plant Physiology a chance to interact, said Dirk Charlson, vice president of the organization.

“Every graduate program has an organization, and this is just our way to get to know each other,” said Charlson, graduate student in agronomy.

“This is also our chance to do professional and social activities together.”

He said another major goal of the organization is to make it more well known throughout campus.

“Our major is often overlooked, and hopefully through this organization we can branch out to students,” Charlson said.

“We want to get more students involved with plant physiology.”

Many people aren’t aware such a club is around, he said.

“Most students majoring in molecular biology or agronomy don’t even know about the Plant Physiology program,” he said. “We fill a special niche, because we’re not interested in just molecular biology. Instead, we focus on the genetics of the whole plant.”

Charlson said the organization has brought in researchers from outside Iowa State, allowing the members a chance to get hands-on experience.

David Hannapel, chairman of the Interdepartmental Plant Physiology department and adviser to the organization, said the group hopes to promote plant physiology to people both on and off campus.

“People in Iowa are very open to advances in biotechnology, and this is something Iowans are definitely interested in,” said Hannapel, associate professor in horticulture.

“We, as scientists, need to communicate with people about what is going on.”

He said the group plans to bring more speakers to the campus for fresh perspectives on the always-changing world of plant physiology.

Although the organization is for graduate students, undergraduate students are encouraged to attend symposiums and other activities the group holds, Hannapel said.

“We hold a mini-symposium in the spring that anyone is welcome to attend,” he said.