Mengmeng Gu, Ph.D., joined the department of horticulture and landscape architecture (HLA) at Colorado State University (CSU) July 1, 2022, after a decade at Texas A&M. Gu assumed the role as department head.

Her attraction to, and interest in plants began as a child and her passion for ornamental plants remains strong. As a CSU professor and extension specialist, Gu’s goal is to actively find the research needs for Colorado. In her new leadership role, she will be broadening her service by reaching out to the community and the industry to involve more stakeholders to help identify needs. “I look forward to identifying needs from multiple stakeholders and finding viable research topics,” Gu said.

Gu is joined in Fort Collins by her husband and four children.