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Bob Patterson

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Bio

Dr. Bob Patterson has been teaching at NC State in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences since 1968. His academic focus is in plant biochemistry and plant physiology. During his early years at NC State, he conducted research in crop physiology and biochemistry. Dr. Patterson has been a part of the First Year Inquiry program since the program’s inception. He finds no greater joy than working with first-year students and watching them grow.

This fall, Dr. Patterson will teach STS 323 (section 002Q) World Population and Food Prospects. Throughout this course, Dr. Patterson looks to empower NC State students to utilize their resources to break the global poverty and hunger cycle. The course includes field trips to provide perspective regarding how NC State promotes both local and global sustainable human development. Throughout the course, Dr. Patterson tries to integrate critical and creative thinking by encouraging students to ask themselves what role they can play in helping those in poverty throughout the world. Students are encouraged to evaluate and write a grant proposal that accomplishes a human development initiative. Dr. Patterson asks his students to discuss their proposals with the class in order to develop a sense of community. He believes that the collective wisdom of all is better than the individual wisdom of any one person.