The University of Tennessee Southern

Cockson, Paul Assistant Professor of Biology

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Contact Information

Office Address:

Phone: (931) 424-2061

Email: pcockson@utsouthern.edu

Biography

Paul Cockson is an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Southern – UTS with expertise in plant phenotyping, plant and soil sciences, horticulture and specialty crops, genetics, floriculture, agronomy, and multivariate statistical methods. Paul has been working as a plant science researcher since 2016. He was one of the youngest Master Gardeners in Nebraska where he discovered his passion for all things agriculture. He is passionate about student mentorship and engaging students in the research process. Current work focuses on different phenotyping methods, and biorational products. When not pursing science, Paul and his dog Groot can be found galivanting through state and national parks.  

Education

B.S. in Agroecology from NC State, M.S. in Horticulture from NC State, Ph.D in Plant and Soil Sciences from The University of Kentucky

Publications

  • Cockson P., Webb A, Martinez‐Ochoa N, Moffitt L, Pearce R, Chakrabarti M. Impact of seed moisture and temperature on hemp seed germination. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. 2025 Jun;8(2):e70129.
  • Veazie, P., Cockson, P., Smith, J.T., Schulker, B., Jackson, B., Hicks, K. and Whipker, B., 2025. Impact of substrate pH and micronutrient fertility rates on Cannabis sativa. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment, 8(1), p.e70044.
  • Whipker, B. P. Veazie, M. Balance, K. Hicks, W. Owen, W. Rich, L. Seltsam, P. Cockson. Evaluation of Coleus Macro- and Micronutrient Concentrations by Leaf Coloration and Cultivar. Submitted 20th February 2023 to Journal of Plant Nutrition.
  • Cockson P., Schroeder-Moreno M, Veazie P, Barajas G, Logan D, Davis M, and Whipker B. 2020. Impact of phosphorus on Cannabis sativa reproduction, cannabinoids, and terpenes. Applied Sciences. 2020 Nov;10(21):7875.
  • Veazie, P., Cockson, P., Henry, J., Perkins-Veazie, P. and Whipker, B., 2020. Characterization of Nutrient Disorders and Impacts on Chlorophyll and Anthocyanin Concentration of Brassica rapa var. Chinensis. Agriculture, 10(10), p.461. 10. Cockson, P., H. Landis, T. Smith, K. Hicks, B. Whipker. 2020. Characterization of Nutrient Disorders of Cannabis sativa. Appl. Sci. 9(20), 4432; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9204432.
  • Whipker, B.E., Cockson, P. and Smith, J.T. 2019. Night interruption lighting equally effective as daylength extension in retaining the vegetative state of Cannabis mother plants. Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management.
  • Currey, C., N. Mattson, P. Cockson, and B. Whipker. 2021. Chapter 3. Mineral nutrition, p. 30-37. In: J. Nau, B. Calkins, and A. Westbrook. 19th ed. Ball Redbook. Ball Publishing.
  • Cockson, P., J. Henry, I. McCall, B. Whipker. 2017. Nutrient Disorders of ‘Orchestra Pink’ Gloxinia. Hort Technology, vol. 27, December 2017, pp. 789–793. American Society of Horticultural Science, doi:10.21273/HORTTECH03833-17.