Robyn Klein

I teach courses in plant identification, biomimicry, and ethnobotany through the Master of Science in Science Education Program.  I am also on the staff at Biomimicry 3.8 out of Missoula. I research biological strategies and systems at the design table with mechanical engineers, product designers, chemists and architects. My home gardens include medicinal species from Russia and China, which thrive quite well in Montana. 

EDUCATION

• B.S. Psychology/Sociology Central Michigan University 1975
• M.S. Plant Sciences Montana State University 2004
  
  

TEACHING INTERESTS

Plant identification, medical botany, natural products discovery, cultivation of medicinal plants

COURSES TAUGHT

• Offered through the Master of Science in Science Education. http://www.montana.edu/msse/ 

  PSPP 548: Flowering Plants of the Northern Rocky Mountains 2 cr. CRN# 11221.
  A field-oriented study of the flowering plants of Montana with an emphasis on plant keying skills. Objectives are 1) to identify the parts of flowering plants and become familiar with botanical terms, 2) to learn morphological characteristics of common plant families, 3) to learn how to use a plant key to successfully identify flowering plants, 4) to apply plant identification skills to the classroom.

  PSPP 591: Biomimicry: The Technology of Biology 2 cr. (online) CRN# 34931. LEC/Field Trip
  This course introduces the rapidly emerging discipline of biomimicry that uses nature as a source of inspiration for sustainable solutions to human problems. My goal is to familiarize you with biomimicry and how to mimic the function of biological forms, processes and systems to emulate them. This course is designed to practice biomimicry, a methodology used to inspire technological innovation and to bring relevancy to science curriculums.

• In Preparation:

  PSPP 549: Botany of Spices & Medicinal Plants 2 cr. (online)

  A study of spices and plants used for the flavor, fragrance, dietary supplement, cosmetic, and botanical product markets around the world. Students will design K-12 inquiry-based curriculum regarding the botany and sources of spices and medicinal plants.
  
  

RECENT COMMUNITY WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS PRESENTED:

November 6, 2022. [Online]. Meet the Parsley Family: A visual review of characteristics. 20-minute, pre-recorded session. 2022 Canadian Herb Conference: Trends and Traditions in Herbal Medicine.

November 7, 14, 28, and December 12, 2022. [Online]. Plant Identification for Herbalists. American Herbalists Guild. 8 hours.

April 18, 2023. 8:00-10:00pm EST [Online]. Want To Learn How To Identify Plants? A Free Primer on Plant Identification. Hosted by the American Herbalists Guild.

May 25, 2023. 6:00-8:00pm MST [Online]. Identifying Chinese Medicinal Plants. Hosted by the Lilium Initiative.

June 23-24, 2023. Hike: Herbs of the Sagebrush Steppe. 2023 MNPS Bannack Annual Meeting Sagebrush Steppe, Bannack State Park, Dillon, MT.

August 5, 2023. Plant Identification for Herbalists. Montana Herbal Festival. Missoula, MT.

August 13, 2023. Wildflowers of Lightning Creek: A Day of Exploring. 7 participants. Taylor Fork, Gallatin Canyon, MT. 

SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS:

Schepetkin, I.A.; Özek, G.; Özek, T.; Kirpotina, L.N.; Klein, R.A.; Khlebnikov, A.I.; Quinn, M.T. Composition and biological activity of the essential oils from wild grown horsemint, yarrow, and yampah from subalpine meadows in southwestern Montana: Immunomodulatory activity of dillapiole. Plants 2023, 12, 2643. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants1214264

Schepetkin, I.A.; Özek, G.; Özek, T.; Kirpotina, L.N.; Khlebnikov, A.I.; Klein, R.A.; Quinn, M.T. Neutrophil immunomodulatory activity of farnesene, a component of Artemisia dracunculus essential oils. Pharmaceuticals 2022, 15, 642. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph15050642

Contributed photos IN: Kindscher, K., Yellow Bird, L., Yellow Bird, M., Sutton, L. 2020. Sahnish (Arikara) Ethnobotany. Contributions in Ethnobiology. Society of Ethnobiology, Tacoma, WA. ISBN 978-0-9990759-2-0
(paperback); ISBN 978-0-9990759-3-7 (PDF)

Klein, R. Reviewer. Oshá Ligusticum porteri JM Coult & Rose and related species. Standards of Analysis, Quality Control, and Therapeutics. American Herbal Pharmacopoeia. 2018

Klein, Robyn and Kindscher, Kelly. 2016. Legal protection of Echinacea and other medicinal plant species. IN: Echinacea: Herbal Medicine with a Wild History. Ed. Kelly Kindscher. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland.