Congratulations to Olivia Liebing on receiving the 2025 Magnolia Society International Travel Scholarship! As a recipient of this scholarship, she was be able to attend the Magnolia Society International Annual Conference hosted in France and Belgium this year.
Olivia is currently a graduate student pursuing her MS under the advisement of Dr. Garrett Owen. In her words her research is on "the propagation of woody ornamental nursery crops. I focus on the impacts of daily light integral, root-zone temperature, and the foliar application of rooting hormones on cuttings in an effort to find methods that hasten rooting and produce high quality plants."
Luckily for us, Olivia gave us a look into her experience at the conference...
What were some highlights of the conference for you?
Beyond experiencing some of France and Belgium's top botanic gardens, arboreta, and personal collections, I am beyond grateful for the group I shared them with. Everyone's individual expertise really enriched this trip and that is why traveling with such a diverse group is amazing. Some of my favorite stops were the city of Nantes, Arboretum Wespelaar, and Le Bois de Moutiers.
What's one of the most interesting things you learned?
I was unaware of how much is still happening in the Magnolia genus. Still, many new species are being found, especially in Asia and South America.
What advice would you give other students considering attending meetings/confeences like this?
Apply! I could not have done this without the generosity and support of Magnolia Society International. This group in particular was very excited to share their knowledge and career paths; something very valuable when starting. Attending a meeting like this was also a great entry into a society. It enabled me to meet people face to face and figure out how I may want to get more involved in the future.
Stay tuned to hear about Olivia's experience as a HortScholar at the 2025 Cultivate