Yongjun Yue
Name: Yongjun Yue
Hometown: Yantai, China
Year in School: Graduate Student (Ph.D.)
In his own words ...
Where are you from, and why did you choose to study at UGA/CAES?
I am from Yantai, China. UGA is one of the best land grant universities that provides agricultural degrees.
What is your major/degree program, and what department?
I am a PhD student majoring in ornamental breeding from the Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics.
Why did you choose your major?
It is more relaxing to work with plants especially ornamental plants. I would like to introduce more beautiful plants so that people have more choices to decorate their gardens.
What is your favorite class you have taken?
PBGG 8890 plant cytogenetics is my favorite class. The class taught classical and molecular cytogenetics that is very helpful for my current research.
Who has been your favorite instructor?
Dr. Wayne Parrott is my favorite instructor because he is knowledgeable, and his classes are well organized.
What has been the best experience you've had so far at CAES?
PBGG Annual Retreat is the best experience for me. It was relaxing and I also got to know other people and their research during the retreat.
What do you want to do with what you have learned here?
I want to find a job in the industry and do more in depth ornamental breeding so I can help to introduce more beautiful plants to the market.
How has your experience at UGA changed you?
I have learned so much from my peers and professors and I am much more confident to have a talk or seminar. I also learned to work independently and collaborate with others to finish my job more efficiently.
Thinking of the word agriculture - what does agriculture mean to you? In what ways does agriculture impact your life and your culture?
It means life to me. We cannot survive without agriculture. In China the Chinese calendar is also known as agricultural calendar, as the calendar divides the year into seasons for agriculture.
What do you like to do outside of class — hobbies, interests, secret talents?
I like to read history books and visit botanical gardens.