Kas Dumroese, Senior Scientist, Research Plant Physiologist

I help people grow native plants in nurseries and use them to restore ecosystems. I provide the science-based, technical information about which seeds were selected to go on Artemis I, how to grow them into seedlings at nurseries, and the best techniques for nurturing them after planting.

Be inquisitive. Be persistent. Be flexible. Be innovative but practical. Be kind. Be helpful. Laugh at yourself. Do research with people you enjoy working with.

In my job, the questions have always been the same: How do we grow (propagate) native plants in nurseries? How do we then establish them on the landscape? And how do we better integrate those processes (propagation and establishment) to restore ecosystems?

I mostly work in a greenhouse where I control growing conditions, allowing me to better understand how native plants react to different levels of nutrients, water, temperatures, light, and other factors. This helps people produce plants with characteristics that improve survival and growth.

In my 35+ years of doing research, I’ve been involved with some really neat projects, worked with wonderful experts across the United States and in dozens of countries, and witnessed reforestation and restoration efforts in some spectacular ecosystems. It’s impossible to single out one in particular!

As a child, my grandma taught me gardening—how to grow plants. In a way, I’m still gardening by learning how to propagate native plants. I really became interested in operational nursery production as a forestry undergraduate student and as a researcher during my graduate work.