Dr. Marcelo D. Serpe began his study of agricultural engineering at Universidad de Buenos Aires, and then earned an M.S. in Plant Science at California State University, Fresno, and a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology at the University of California, Davis. He taught for three years at the University of Puerto Rico before coming to Boise State University in 1998 as a member of the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences.
Dr. Serpe's research seeks to understand the regulation of plant growth by environmental and biochemical factors, through studies at the molecular, cellular and whole plant levels. One of his goals is to improve our understanding of the factors that control germination and seedling establishment of native vegetation, enabling the development of better approaches to the restoration of sagebrush habitats which have experienced major changes due to invasion by exotic annual grasses and an increase in the frequency of wildfires. He presents his findings widely and maintains memberships in the American Society of Plant Biologists and the Botanical Society of America.