The department has a successful faculty committed to excellence in teaching and research. The faculty provides instruction leading to highly respected undergraduate and graduate degree programs in botany and maintains one of the most highly funded research programs on campus. Many of the faculty members have received awards from the University or their scientific colleagues in recognition of their teaching and research excellence. Most of the faculty have internationally recognized research programs and, as a consequence of their reputations, serve on advisory panels to federal agencies, review grant proposals and manuscripts for both national and international journals, serve on editorial boards, and hold offices in national and international societies in their respective disciplines