Congratulations to Dr. Susan Han on the event of her retirement from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture!
Dr. Han has taught our undergraduate- and graduate-level courses, with a focus on greenhouse crops and post-harvest physiology, for 33 years. During that time she developed an innovative teaching practice, became a model advisor to students, conducted cutting-edge research into the effects of post-harvest handling on flowers, and mastered the complex organizational processes by which new curricula are added to the repertoire of our school and university.
Her courses in greenhouse crop production, botany, floriculture, and post-harvest physiology, benefitted thousands of students across multiple Stockbridge majors, especially the bachelor program in Plant & Soil Sciences, and the horticultural sciences programs.
Dr. Han earned her Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from National Taiwan University, and her Master of Science in Horticulture from the University of Missouri. Upon completing her PhD in plant physiology from the University of California Davis, she joined the University of Massachusetts faculty.
Dr. Han has practiced and published about her success with new teaching methods, including a "flipped" course where students watch video lectures as homework and use class time for more interactive learning.
She was one of the inaugural fellows of team-based learning when she developed the advanced integrative experience course Global Issues in Applied Biology. She also took on the challenge of developing an online, self-paced botany course for the University Without Walls program.
Her students responded by nominating her for teaching awards, including the CNS Outstanding Teacher Award that she won three times during her career, and the highly competitive University Distinguished Teaching Award for which she was a finalist in multiple years.
Known to her students as a compassionate "second Mom," Susan also won awards for the close and personal touch she brought to her student advising.
We thank Dr. Han for her service and wish her the best in her retirement. Her students, alumni, and colleagues are encouraged to send Dr. Han a note of appreciation.