Dr. Jay Spiers, an associate professor of horticulture at Auburn University, will be the guest speaker for the Stephen F. Austin State University SFA Gardens’ monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series, slated for 7 p.m. Aug. 9 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.
Dr. Jay Spiers, an associate professor of horticulture from Auburn University, will present, “Alternative Fruit Crops for a Changing Gulf South: What’s on the Horizon?”
Spiers’ professorial appointment consists of 70 percent research, 25 percent teaching and five percent service. His research focuses on sustainable fruit crop production systems and includes work with blueberry, kiwifruit, satsuma mandarin, blackberry, persimmon and pomegranate. He also teaches undergraduate- and graduate-level classes in the horticulture department pertaining to fruit production.
Spiers holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in horticulture from Mississippi State University and a doctoral degree in horticultural sciences from Texas A&M University.
The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month and includes a rare-plant raffle after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series fund are always appreciated.
Parking is available at the PNPC and Raguet Elementary School, located at 2428 Raguet St.
For more information, call (936) 468-4129, or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
