By Viktoria Leopold
A thin stem rising out of the ground, supporting a translucent, ethereal and ghostly head like a decaying white rose. Tiny, salmon pink globes clustered on the face of a rotting log. A group of brown edges curled up like shriveled book pages. While these descriptions might evoke images of an alien world, they actually describe a few of the fascinating fungi discovered by Mycology Club members, such as Fiona Chen ‘28, during a forest walk in September. She has really enjoyed being part of the Mycology Club since arriving at Amherst. In addition to cool fungi discoveries, “it’s nice to go out and get sunshine and enjoy the forest…my mood’s been consistently higher since I’ve been doing that!”
The Mycology Club at Amherst College is a passionate community, driven by a mission “to explore the diverse landscape of fungi around the Amherst area.” Whether you are an avid mycologist or simply curious about the role of fungi in the environment, the Mycology Club welcomes all students with an interest in these remarkable organisms. It allows members to engage with nature and learn about the fungi that thrive in the Pioneer Valley and beyond.
What really is mycology, you may ask? Mycology is the scientific study of fungi, a diverse group of organisms that includes mushrooms, molds, and yeasts, as club co-president Piper Mohring ‘25 explains. Fungi play vital ecological roles, acting as decomposers, symbionts (organisms that have a symbiotic relationship with others), and pathogens in various ecosystems. The study of mycology not only covers biology and ecology related to fungi, but it also explores their uses in medicine, food production, and environmental conservation.
The co-presidents of the Mycology Club, Piper Mohring ‘25 and Moira Newman ‘26, embody the diverse range of people drawn to this interdisciplinary field. Piper, a Film and Media Studies major with a deep interest in natural science, has been involved in the club since 2023. Their fascination with mycology dates back to elementary school when they first encountered “lichens during a school trip to an environmental learning center.” Moira, a biology and anthropology double major, has been “studying the relationship between the plant genus Silene and its many endemic fungal pathogens” in Professor Michael Hood’s disease ecology lab, bringing her extensive scientific background to the club.
The Mycology Club hosts a wide range of year-round activities that reflect the changing seasons and the abundance of fungi in the Amherst area. In the fall, the club holds outdoor activities like mushroom identification walks, where participants explore local natural areas to learn about various mushroom species. In winter, it shifts to indoor events such as film screenings like the 2019 documentary Fantastic Fungi. The club also invites guest speakers such as environmentalists Joe Walewski and Hayley Kolding, who gave a virtual presentation on lichenology last year. Furthermore, the club collaborates with the Book and Plow Farm on mushroom cultivation as part of an accessible Food Forest project.
The Mycology Club’s flexible programming ensures that fungus lovers all year round can bond over a love for science, exploration, and the outdoors. “We gladly welcome anyone with an interest or curiosity about the environment and the fungi that grow in it to check out one of our monthly events, or follow us on Instagram,” stated the two club leaders Moira and Piper. Or as club member Fiona puts it, “Mushrooms are cool! Come look at some amazing mushrooms!”
Photo credits: Piper Mohring ‘25 and Moira Newman ‘26
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