Course Instructor:
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Dr.
Mai Morshidi Phillips
Adjunct
Professor/Honorary Associate of Forestry (College of Natural
Resources) at the University
of Wisconsin-Stevens Point B.S. (Mathematics) University of Iowa
M.A.
(Environmental, Population, & Organismic Biology) University
of Colorado
Ph.D.
(Plant Genetic Resources) University of Hawaii
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Dr.
Morshidi Phillips
was born and raised on the island of Borneo (Sarawak, Malaysia), one of
the world�s greatest hot spots of biodiversity.
Dr. Morshidi Phillips came to the United
States and earned a BS degree in mathematics at the University of
Iowa and a MA in plant ecology at the University of Colorado. Dr. Morshidi Phillips
then returned to Malaysia to work as an assistant professor of biology at Universiti Putra Malaysia,
where she taught undergraduate general botany and zoology courses. In
these courses, Dr. Morshidi Phillips incorporated the conservation of genetic resources and
initiated research on conservation of various fruit species native to
Borneo. Dr. Morshidi Phillips was the recipient of an East-West Center doctoral scholarship
to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Hawaii.
Dr. Morshidi Phillips earned a Ph.D. in plant genetic resources, which focused on genetic
conservation and molecular systematic of papaya (Carica
papaya), a commercially important crop of the tropics, and its wild
relatives. Her dissertation research encompassed not only the native
range of Carica papaya as a species but its related wild species in the area of
greatest diversity in Central America and the Andean region.
After
completing her Ph.D., an opportunity
to expand her academic career interests in conservation of plant genetic
resources, molecular genetics, systematic and conservation biology of
tropical biodiversity occurred when she was recruited by the Universiti
Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) to teach and conduct plant genetic research in
Borneo.
In
Borneo, Dr. Morshidi Phillips's research focused on conservation biology and molecular
genetics of endemic and economically important plants. She collaborated on
a UNIMAS research grant to assess genetic variability in endemic
hardwoods in tropical lowland rainforests and peat swamp wetlands to
undergird conservation and restoration efforts underway in Borneo.
Also, Dr. Morshidi Phillips participated in a committee to advise federal and state
planners on various policy matters including biodiversity conservation
and the establishment of a biotechnology center in Sarawak.
Here
at UWSP, Dr. Morshidi Phillips continues to focus her research on breeding
poplars for phytoremediation of atrazine in Wisconsin, genecology and plant genetic
resources conservation in Borneo (Malaysia) and the Americas. The
courses that she teaches include Ecological Basis for Natural
Resource Management;Diversity,
Conservation, and Utilization of Plant Resources in Human Cultures; Biodiversity and Conservation
Biology, Wisconsin Environmental Studies (via internet) and
Forest Tree
Improvement. She is actively involved in developing on-line courses in
plant resources and forestry.