Katy Guthrie

Katy Guthrie
Assistant Teaching Professor
She/her/hers
[email protected]
542 Borlaug Hall

Areas of Interest

Teaching, education research in the plant sciences

Teaching

PLSC 1915 Stardew Valley: An Introduction to Agricultural Systems
CFAN 1480 (Co-Instructor, First Year Experience Course): Research to Farm to Table: How Plants Inform Food Systems
AGRO 2402 (Co-Instructor): The Science of Cannabis 
AGRO 3305: Agroecosystems of the World
AGRO/ANSC 3203W (Co-Instructor): Environment, Global Food Production and the Citizen 
AGRO 3660: Plant Genetic Resources and Lab 
PLSC 3401: Applied Plant Genetics
PLSC 4096W: Professional Internship Experience

Courses in development: 
PLSC XXXX: Plant Growth and Development

Research

Current research interests include: (1) development of innovative, evidence-based active learning practices within the plant sciences; (2) development and evaluation of systems thinking capacity in undergraduate learners; (3) studying recall and transfer of core concepts in biology and plant breeding and plant science; (4) evaluating first-year experience courses for impacts on student learning outcomes including student belonging

Previous research interests include: maize developmental genetics, specifically the discovery and characterization of genes involved in meristem maintenance and control of meristematic identity during developmental transitions and regulation of auxin during reproductive development.

Select Publications

Chatila, S & Guthrie, K (2026). CFANS First-Year Experience (FYE) Pilot Evaluation – Fall 2025 Report (Rep). University of Minnesota.

Krause M, Arbelae J, Asdal A, Brown PJ, Carollo-Blake V, Fisk S, Gimenez E, Guthrie K, et al. (2024). Registration of the Oregon Wolfe Barley genetic stocks - tools for genetics/genomes research and teaching. Journal of Plant Registrations. Read the article.

Levina A, Guthrie K, Cook L, Pritts M. (2025). First-year class instills confidence in skills for success. Horticulture Technical. Read the article.

Guthrie K, Levina, A. (2024). A day in the life of a plant breeder: a role-playing game Integrating Plant Breeding Decisions to Downstream Market Outcomes. Course Source. Read the article. 

Stone, B, Guthrie, K. (2024). “Wee Possum’s Theorem of Active Learning: Using Common Horse Sense to Engage Students in Class Activities.” The American Biology Teacher. Read the article. 

Honors and Awards

Thank a Teacher Program Recognition, Center for Educational Innovation, University of Minnesota, Spring 2026

Thank a Teacher Program Recognition, Center for Educational Innovation, University of Minnesota, Fall 2025