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Faculty and Staff Brief Bios

Let us introduce you to a UMass faculty or staff member whose work helps to support the mission of the Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment. With these pieces, we aim to present a picture of the breadth of the education and research that happens every day at UMass Amherst. Enjoy getting to know some of our extraordinary colleagues.

  • Brian Kane

    Ropes, helmets, and harnesses are as second nature to Brian Kane as, well, climbing a tree. From early childhood right up until today, his fascination with trees and the outdoors has been a driving force in his life. So much so that it has led him to a career as professor of commercial arboriculture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
  • Jason D. Lanier

    Landscape and Turf: From a Passion to a Profession A summer lawn.... or a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet.  While he may not be “firmly rooted” –pun intended-- in Shakespeare, Jason Lanier has always lived by that motto...enamored of the smell of freshly-cut grass since childhood.  Even then, he knew he was all about the plants, intrigued by the role that they have on planetary health and how they affect our lives. 

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