Photo courtesy of Angus Murphy, the plant science & landscape architecture department chair.

When she wasn’t studying lima bean pathogens and taking classes at this university, graduate student Rebecca Selleck — whom departmental coworkers remember as a quirky, caring person — loved traveling and making arts and crafts.

“This is a person who in a very short time became someone who everyone knew and liked and admired. A very caring and a very giving person,” Angus Murphy, the plant sciences and landscape architecture department chairman, said of Selleck, who died Monday morning at the College Park MARC station. She was 35.

Selleck, who was about to complete her first year studying plant science at this university, was crossing a railway platform when a CSX train struck her, according to a Prince George’s County Police blog post.

Prince George’s County patrol officers responded to the incident at 11:05 a.m., according to the report. Responders found Selleck suffering critical injuries, and medical examiners pronounced her dead at the scene.

“Anytime a pedestrian is involved in an incident with a train, it’s a tragedy,” CSX spokesman Rob Doolittle said. “CSX’s sympathies are with the family and friends of [Selleck] in yesterday’s incident.”

Cassandra Swett, a plant science and landscape architecture professor, said Selleck was likely on her way to this university when the train hit her.

“She had been in contact with people here and sent in some assignment in the morning,” said Swett, who served as Selleck’s proxy adviser in the lab. “[She] was on her way here.”

Murphy said others have expressed concerns about the pedestrian safety at the crossing where Selleck died.

“It’s an opportunity for people to think hard,” Murphy said. “There’s tragedies of people being killed on Route 1 … Maybe it’s time to pay attention to that crossing too.”

During her time as a graduate student, Selleck, who was working toward her master’s degree in plant sciences, focused her energies on studying the “white rot” pathogen that kills lima bean crops, which are a major source of protein for parts of the world, Murphy said.

“[Her research] has implications for more than just lima beans,” said Murphy, who frequently interacted with Selleck. “Dealing with pathogens is something that’s very important because [beans] are such important crops, especially in the developing world.”

Selleck mainly conducted her research off the campus under the direction of plant science and landscape architecture professor Kathryne Everts at the Lower Eastern Shore Research & Education Center in this state, but she was often on the campus for classes, Murphy said.

Swett said Selleck took great interest and passion in her research.

“She was very ambitious and enthused with a lot of what she was doing,” Swett said. “She was looking at lines of lima beans from all over the world to try to develop [and] identify lima beans that had resistance to the white rot pathogen.”

Even with her dedication to her work — which required her to travel regularly between this university and the research center — Selleck nurtured various other hobbies and interests, Swett said, including being fluent in Spanish and getting involved on the campus.

“She did a lot of arts and crafts with recycled products,” Swett said. “She would get all kinds of strange recycled things and make shawls and interesting clothing amendments. … There would be arts and crafts night at her house.”

Selleck also traveled to Spanish-speaking countries, such as Mexico and Costa Rica, and volunteered at the campus Food Co-op, Swett said.

Murphy described Selleck as a remarkable, warm presence in the lives of others.

“Her presence was felt by everyone in the department — the graduates, undergraduates, alumni and faculty,” Murphy said.

Selleck’s parents are not ready to make a public statement at this time, Murphy said, but noted they have “expressed appreciation for everything that’s being done.”

“Becky’s sudden death is a terrible blow to her family and many friends,” her bother Randy Selleck wrote in a statement. “It has been wonderful to see the outpouring of support and joyful memories that have been posted online and that we’ve received personally. The U of M has been especially helpful in this trying time and the support of faculty and students has been amazing. Becky will be deeply missed and forever in our hearts.”

To commemorate Selleck’s life, a memorial service was held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Memorial Chapel Garden of Reflection and Remembrance.

There are also plans to create a scholarship in her honor, Murphy said.

“It would be directed toward students who have interest in their research along the lines of what her interests were,” Murphy said. “We’re trying to respond to her interests and her thoughts, and what she thought was important.”

Staff writer Katishi Maake contributed to this report.