Molly Conner Ogorzaly has a B.S. degree in Agriculture from Cornell University, an M.A. in Botany, and Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Texas. Paintings she executed for her Master's thesis grace the Natural Heritage Map of Texas. As a result of work done for her dissertation on the social and academic benefits of school gardens, Molly won the President's Environmental Youth Award in 1994.
Molly is the co-author/illustrator of the top-selling book, Economic Botany, now in its third edition with McGraw-Hill/Brown publishers. During her seven years as Director of Education at Zilker Botanical Garden, 1995-2002 Molly created lectures and workshops for both adults and children. After being invited to Japan on a Gardening Internship she served on the board of the Austin-Oita Sister City Committee and presented lectures on the "Nature and Spirit of Japanese Gardens" across the community. Dr. Ogorzaly also created the Plantmobile, a traveling science museum that took programs like Butterflies Across Austin and Supermarket Botany out to the schools. The Plantmobile won Keep Austin Beautiful's first prize for Education in 1999 and 2001. In 2003, Dr.O appeared as a celebrity chef at the Let's Get Cooking Event at Austin's Convention Center.
Since 2000, she has been leading groups of women to "Follow the Route of the Impressionists" through France. As with her other travels, slides from these trips have been used to illustrate her publications and lectures. “Color in Monet’s Light”, “Poisons, Panaceas and Psychoactive Drugs”, “Butterflies and Butterfly Gardening” and the new "Perfumes and other Plant Aphrodesiacs” are among her popular presentations.
Dr. Ogorzaly now heads the volunteer organization Growing Gardeners which is working to spread the joy of gardening across the community. Molly and the volunteer Plantmobile professors take their programs out in the traveling science museum which they bought and rescued after it stood unused at the Botanical Gardens for several years. Dr. MollyO lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Bob, an architect, and her two children, Mae and William.
Join us at the 15th Annual Texas Bamboo Festival for a 2 screen slide presentation and lecture on the Nature and Spirit of Japanese Gardening on Saturday, August 25, 2007. Exact time of the presentation will be announced as the event date approaches.
