Connecticut College Names Miles Schwartz Sax as New Arboretum Director

NEW LONDON, Conn., July 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Connecticut College has named Miles Schwartz Sax as the new Charles and Sarah P. Becker '27 Arboretum Director, effective Aug. 1, 2019.

The Connecticut College Arboretum offers a quality of life and a conservation classroom unique among liberal arts institutions. The Arboretum's diverse 750 acres include the landscaped grounds of the College as well as the surrounding plant collections, natural areas and managed landscapes.

"The Arboretum has a long history of doing exceptional work in land conservation and ecological landscape management, and I look forward to using this rich history as a foundation to continue to grow and expand the capacity of the institution," Sax said. 

Sax received a master's degree in public garden leadership in 2014 and a Ph.D. in horticultural biology in 2019 from Cornell University. His academic research focuses on issues relating to urban horticulture, tree selection and evaluation, stress physiology and rare plant conservation in the context of an increasingly urbanizing and warming planet.

Hailing from western Massachusetts, Sax grew up exploring the forests, coastlines and mountains of New England. While working at The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, he found his calling in the field of public horticulture while managing and researching the species apple (Malus) collection. Inspired by the capacity of botanic gardens to create immersive environments that foster public engagement and stewardship of the planet's flora, he gained further experience in the field of public horticulture working at The Morton Arboretum, Cornell Botanic Gardens and the Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden in South Africa.

"With expertise in public gardens and woody plants, as well as in conservation, Miles is uniquely qualified to lead the arboretum, and we're thrilled to welcome him to the College," said Jeffrey Cole, dean of the faculty and professor of anthropology. 

"It's clear that the Arboretum is beloved by students, faculty, staff and alumni, and I'm really excited to have the opportunity to apply my background in environmental horticulture, research and education to fulfill the mission of such a great organization," Sax added. 

For more information about Connecticut College, see www.conncoll.edu.

About Connecticut College
Founded in 1911, Connecticut College is a highly selective private liberal college located on a 750-acre arboretum campus overlooking Long Island Sound and the Thames River. Our innovative educational approach, Connections, integrates everything our 1,800 students experience here—classes, majors, study abroad, internships, even residence hall and campus life—so they learn how to look at problems from multiple angles and find value in differing points of view. These habits of mind prepare them to be leaders who are intellectually courageous, inventive, resourceful and resilient. For more information, see www.conncoll.edu.

SOURCE Connecticut College

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