Older than dinosaurs, stranger than fiction; you’ve likely eaten them, stepped on them and even feared them at some point, but you’ve probably never taken a deep dive into the wild world of fungi.
In one Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences course, though, fungi aren’t just food or footnotes — they’re the main event.
The course, BESC 204 Molds and Mushrooms: The Impact of Fungi on Society and the Environment, has mushroomed in popularity since its inception. It brings students from across campus to study the strange, fascinating and inescapable nature of fungi that’s often overlooked despite their influence on our health, food, environment, laws and society at large.
Behind this ever-expanding course is Brian Shaw, Ph.D., professor and associate department head for academic affairs in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology. A cell biologist and mycology enthusiast, Shaw created the class more than two decades ago.
It’s since swelled to become the largest elective in the Bioenvironmental Sciences program, but its broad appeal pulls students from beyond bioenvironmental sciences, captivating the interest of business and engineering majors alike.
“The variety of student backgrounds is part of what makes the class so dynamic,” Shaw said. “For some, this might be the only science class they take at Texas A&M. I want to make sure everyone leaves knowing how fungi connect to their lives no matter their area of study. Many students think fungi are just mushrooms, but then realize fungi are responsible for things like the clothes they wear, the bread they eat and even history’s most life-saving medications.”
Making fungi fun
In “Molds and Mushrooms,” students quickly discover that fungi are as intriguing as they are essential. These organisms are often misunderstood or ignored, lumped in with plants or seen only as edible mushrooms. But, as Shaw explains on Day 1, fungi make up their own major kingdom of life, and they’re genetically closer to humans than plants.
That’s just the beginning of the surprises.
Though it starts with the basics — fungal classification, reproductive strategies and the fungal family tree that stumps even biologists at times — the class quickly branches into timely, applied topics.
Throughout the semester, students explore fungi’s role in world-changing events, from the Irish potato famine to the modern threats of white-nose syndrome in bats and chytrid fungus devastating amphibian populations. The class examines fungal partnerships with plants, medical breakthroughs like penicillin and statins, the legal implications of toxic mold in homes, and much more.
Fungi are all around us and in everything we do. There’s no end to the stories you can tell.
Brian Shaw, Ph.D.
Professor and associate department head
Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology
One lecture ventures into the “zombie ant” fungus Cordyceps, which invades ants and alters their behavior to ensure its own spread. The unsettling nature of this fungus’s mind-control effects inspired the apocalyptic game and TV series “The Last of Us.”
In another popular lecture, Shaw explains the role of fungi in the origins of beer brewing and different beer types, complete with photos of his backyard craft brewing setup.
“Once you have the skills and knowledge on how to handle microbes and prevent contamination, working in a lab isn’t so different from making beer,” Shaw said with a laugh.
Science meets society
What sets “Molds and Mushrooms” apart isn’t just the subject matter — it’s how it’s delivered. Shaw infuses each lecture with pop culture, real-world news and a touch of humor. From “The Last of Us” references to ancient mushroom cave art to celebrities who supposedly died from toxic mold poisoning, students are constantly connecting class content to the world beyond, and Shaw encourages them to share their thoughts along the way.
“I try to make it so people feel comfortable speaking up,” Shaw said. “Even in a lecture of 150 people, I want discussion. We break the ice from the first day.”
The class’s assignments reflect the focus on fungi’s real-world impact. Students team up for a paper on indoor toxic molds, where they weigh scientific literature and public perception. They later design digital infographics and create a mini-podcast episode to showcase a fungal topic of their choice, stretching their science communication skills.
“The toxic mold paper meets the university’s core curriculum requirements for teamwork and analytical writing,” Shaw explained. “But it’s also a chance for students to engage with a controversial topic in science and health and really examine the evidence for themselves.”
Roots of the course
The course’s design traces back to Shaw’s graduate years at Cornell University, where he was inspired by a similar class taught by plant pathologist George Hudler, Ph.D., author of the book Shaw centers the class around.
“At one point, nearly 10% of Cornell’s student body had taken that class,” Shaw said. “And we’ve seen the topic’s popularity translate here at Texas A&M, too.”
Shaw has taught the class each spring since its beginning when it had only about a dozen students, even adapting it for a study abroad trip to China once. It now reaches around 150 students each spring.
Despite some changes over the years, Shaw’s goal with the course remains the same in each iteration: spread the word about fungi to as large a group as possible.
“The idea is always to get people engaged, interested and wanting to learn more. Fungi are all around us and in everything we do. There’s no end to the stories you can tell.
“Plus, any way you can get students thinking about fungi for some other reason than just psychedelic mushrooms is a good thing,” Shaw said, only half-joking.
But don’t worry — he covers that in lecture 13.
Uncover a world of hidden connections
From the secret lives of fungi to the bacteria behind bioremediation, bioenvironmental sciences students explore how microbes, nature and humans intertwine. Ready to dig into the unseen science shaping our environment?
