The College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University is Oregon's principal source of knowledge relating to agricultural and food systems, and a major source of knowledge regarding environmental quality, natural resources, life sciences, and rural economies and communities worldwide. The College provides undergraduate and graduate education leading to baccalaureate and graduate degrees, and extended education programs throughout Oregon and beyond. Its research programs create knowledge to solve problems and to build a knowledge base for the future. It is a source of information and expertise in integrating and applying knowledge with benefits that are felt in domestic and international settings.
Volume XIII, Issue 3
It never ceases to amaze me how much our incredible faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders accomplish and how much impact that work has in Oregon and beyond! Over the past few months as I’ve traveled to Field Days across our state at our Experiment Stations, I have witnessed first-hand how our research continues to result in important discoveries—from unveiling potential anti-aging properties in Pacific whiting skin, developing deeper understanding of threats to our hazelnut industry, finding new ways to slow wildfires in critical sagebrush rangelands, or discovering an elusive whale for the first time.
That powerful work is one reason why our students and faculty have also been recognized with numerous awards, national and international accolades, and endowed positions, including several Fulbright scholarships.
It’s also one reason why this year we set a new record in research, increasing our new research expenditures 33% to $83,351,576. The highest in the history of the College of Agricultural Sciences.
We are also deeply embedded in the communities we serve. Our College of Agricultural Sciences extension specialists have been actively working across many programs to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion, connect with farm managers and others to address climate change while also helping homeowners with summer yard and garden tips.
And our students have been active with service-learning projects, summer research internships, and a multitude of both national and international experiential learning opportunities.
I recognize that, in the busyness of life, we sometimes don’t have the ability to step back and appreciate just how powerful our collective impact is. So, I encourage you to take some time and explore this issue to reflect upon our most recent accomplishments. And know that as the dean of this incredible institution, I am both proud and humbled by it all. Together, we truly are making tomorrow better for everyone.
Go Beavs!
Staci L. Simonich, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Dean and Reub Long Professor
College of Agricultural Sciences
Director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station
Ag Innovations Conference: Sustainable Agriculture
September 22-23, 2022
The purpose of the Ag Innovations Conference (AIC) series is to introduce new technologies to the grower community by speakers from universities, research organizations, and the agriculture input industry. Come join us for an informative event with various presentations, field tours, and a tradeshow at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center. Lunch and refreshments will be provided during the conference.
North Willamette Research and Extension Center
15210 NE Miley Rd
Aurora, OR 97002
NWREC Harvest Dinner
September 23, 2022
Coinciding with the Ag Innovations Conference (AIC), NWREC is also hosting the 11th annual Harvest Dinner to celebrate the success of various research and extension programs at NWREC. Participants and attendees include faculty, staff, OSU leaders, elected officials, and our varied and important stakeholders. Together we will recognize the many contributions made to thriving local economies, the promotion of healthy communities and the progress made stewarding our finite natural resources.
Enjoy the bounty of Oregon agriculture and celebrate the diversity of our agricultural community and its impact with leaders across the region
Dr. Jeffrey Steiner appointed new director of the Global Hemp Innovation Center
Steiner has served as the associate director of the GHIC since 2019, helping to expand the center, develop new programs, and cultivate relationships with partner institutions. Steiner has broad leadership experience in government and academic settings conducting and administering food and agriculture, natural resources, and bioenergy systems research.
Dr. Jeffrey Reimer named as the interim department head for Applied Economics
Reimer has been in the Department of Applied Economics at Oregon State University since 2005. His research program concerns topics in international trade, agricultural economics, price analysis, labor economics, water resources, and general equilibrium modeling. His teaching at OSU has focused on agricultural price analysis, international trade, the economics of globalization, and micro-economic theory.
Rachel Jones named as the new Student Engagement Coordinator
Dr. Rachel Jones will join the CAS Academic Programs Office as the Student Engagement Coordinator on September 19, 2022. Rachel has been a tireless advocate for student success, being especially interested in increasing the participation and visibility of underrepresented groups in academia. Rachel fits perfectly in the Academic Programs Office and shares our passion for promoting student retention, academic excellence, and professional success.
Lydia Graber named the Greenhouse Operations Manager
Lydia Graber has been named as the Greenhouse Operations Manager starting September 1, 2022. With her appointment as Manager, Lydia can now say she has held every employment position within Greenhouse Operations, a great advantage for CAS and her unit. Lydia received her Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from OSU in 2016 and even lived within the Greenhouse Operations facility in the resident apartments.
On June 2, 2022 we took some time to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of faculty and staff at the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony.
2021-2022 Promotion and Tenure Recipients
Dr. Jennifer Field received the Swiss Chemical Society Lectureship Award for 2022.
The SCS Lectureship is awarded to world-class distinguished scientists and it is organized under the patronage of the Swiss Chemical Society. Over a week, the lecturer gives five presentations and discusses with colleagues at five different Swiss research institutions.
Oregon State University took home 10 awards, including a best-in-class award for a marketing campaign, from the 2022 Critique & Awards program of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences.
Posy Busby, assistant professor of plant pathology, who was awarded $532,000, will study how changes in leaf traits, such as protective waxes and surface structure, give rise to variation in the composition of the plant microbiome and its functional influence on plants.
Oregon State University’s Vaughn Walton has joined the ranks as one of the world’s most highly cited researchers from 2019-2021 by Clarivate, a global company that provides analytics and insights in the sciences.
The College of Agricultural Sciences has four faculty earning Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program awards. Congratulations to Jerri Bartholomew, Kelly Biedenweg, Stephen Good, and Robert Hughes.
Five Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Students were Awarded US Student Fulbright. Congratulations to Stan Cates (Norway), Jackie Delie (Uganda), Conner (Sage) Fox (Chile), Christina Linkem (Costa Rica), and Jane Vinesky (Mexico).
Oregon State University Berry Authority Bernadine Strik Presents the 2022 Agricultural Research Services B.Y. Morrison Memorial Lecture
Dr. Si Hong Park has received the 2022 Scholarly Achievement Award from the Korean Society of Food Science and Technology. Dr. Park is the first recipient working outside of South Korea to receive the award.
Elizabeth Tomasino will receive the 2022 OSU Promising Scholar Award. The award is given for Outstanding scholarly activity that represents significant intellectual work validated and communicated through peer review. Specifically, the nomination covered scholarship and published articles, international reputation, and communication of research to peers and stakeholders.
Sarah Masoni was inducted into Le Guilde Internationale des Fromagers at the American Cheese Society conference in Portland. Sarah receives this honor due to the impact she has had on the international cheese industry.
OSU Extension Master Gardeners announce 2022 awards. Forty-eight dedicated Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener volunteers have been recognized for service to their counties and communities.
Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences is pleased to announce several new appointees to endowed positions, including several new endowed professorships. Congratulations to Dr. Carol Lorenzen, Dr. Scott Lukas, Dr. David Lewis and Dr. Tiffany Garcia.
Lindsay Garcia, a PhD student in OSU Dept. of Food Science & Technology, is a recipient of the prestigious Rockey Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research Fellow award. She joins a cohort of 28 scholars from across the US and Canada for this 3-year professional development opportunity.
Yan Yan, B.S. in Crop and Soil Science
Eric Giovanni Soto, B.S. in Crop and Soil Science
Erica Sequoia Baker, Sustainability Double Degree
Irrigated Agricultural Entomology Lab
Alexander Butcher, M.S. program in Crop Science
Nolan Carson, B.S. in Environmental Economics and Policy
FST Students are IFT Product Development Champions
The Food Science & Technology team, team captain Trung Tran along with Sage Taylor, Lindsay Garcia, Andrew Choi, and Brandon Riesgaard, won the IFT Mars Wrigley product development competition in Chicago. The competition was fierce, but are team was composed, confident and truly exceptional. Their product, SeaZen’d Noodles, is superb. They presented an excellent business plan and delivered an outstanding presentation.
Tools for Measuring Chemical Exposure
Emily Bonner, PhD program in Toxicology
The video was published in Fire Engineering, a magazine for firefighters, along with an article describing the benefits and challenges of utilizing different chemical sampling techniques on the fireground. The goal was to help bridge communications around sampling between firefighters and scientists to ultimately produce better research surrounding the occupational hazards of firefighting. This pertains to her thesis work, which is primarily focused on elucidating chemical exposures of structural firefighters in real and simulated burns using silicone passive sampling.
The Sustainable Feast
August 5 - September 30
August 5 – September 30: Art About Agriculture 2022 touring exhibition at Pacific Maritime Heritage Center in Newport, OR.
August 6 – August 27: Supporting exhibition at the Newport Visual Arts Center in Newport, OR.
Paulette Kaskinen: Woolly
September 27 – December 9, 2022
Location: Strand Gallery, 440 Strand Agriculture Hall, Corvallis, OR
Open hours: Tuesdays 11:30 – 1pm, or by appointment (541) 737-5534
October 13, 2022: Reception
4:00 – 7:00pm, artist talk at 4:30pm
Thank You on behalf of The Global Experience Fund within the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University
Wow! We are so grateful to you for your powerful support. Because of you and 50 other kindred spirits, we raised more than $6,200 for The Global Experience Fund’s Endowment during this year’s April Giving Day aka Dam Proud Day. Yes!
Your donation will help ensure that, for years to come, our students in the College of Agricultural Sciences are able to take life changing trips abroad to study and conduct research. This fund, in partnership with the E.R. Jackman Friends and Alumni Internship program, has assisted dozens of students over recent years.
And hey, no one describes the impact of using a passport better than do student recipients. Here’s just one testimonial –
If you’re a die-hard wildlife nerd like me, it’s hard to beat seeing elephants in the wild, sleeping to the sound of arguing Proboscis monkeys, telemetry tracking the sleeping sites of tarsiers, or having to brake for monitor lizards while going for a jog. – Dominee Cagle, 2018
So, here’s to what you’ve done to help future students like Dominee encounter their elephants, tarsiers, monitor lizards and, yes, Proboscis monkeys.
On behalf of such students, thanks a million!
Alumni Spotlight: Abby Chase
Abby is a 2018 graduate of the College of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Sciences and Horticulture programs with a Masters in Ag Education. She was a member of the Ag Ed Club, worked in the Office of International Services, a fellow in Leadership Academy, and is a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Women’s Fraternity.
Want to share your alumni story? Contact Ally Rumpakis, Director of Alumni Relations for the College of Agricultural Sciences at ally.rumpakis@osualum.com, 541-556-9516.
Don Pierce
October 19, 1939 - July 7, 2022
