CES Finalist Candidate To Give Presentation on Commercial Horticulture
CES Finalist Candidate To Give Presentation on Commercial Horticulture
Submitted by Roxanne Creamer
Phone: (907) 474-5406
09/10/03
Jeffrey Smeenk, Ph.D., of the Michigan State University Department of Crop and Soil Sciences and finalist candidate for the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service horticulture specialist position, will give the presentation "Development of an Effective Extension/Research Program for Commercial Horticulture in Alaska" on Monday, Sept. 15, in Fairbanks. The presentation will start at 1 p.m. in Room 183, Arctic Health Research Building, UAF upper campus.
The extension horticulture specialist position will be a full-time, tenure-track faculty position with a 75 percent extension and 25 percent Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, School of Natural Resources and Agriculture Sciences responsibility. The position will be located in Palmer at the UAF Agricultural and Forestry Research Station.
The extension horticulture specialist will provide statewide leadership in support of the commercial horticulture industry in Alaska. The support may include greenhouse management, landscape/ornamental plants, small farms, organic production, sustainable agriculture, soils and weed control.
Expected duties for the horticulture specialist include applied research and demonstrations, one-on-one grower contacts, published research and extension information, and teaching credit and non-credit courses in support of commercial horticulture.
Smeenk has been at Michigan State University for 11 years, rising from a technician to a research agronomist. His recent work has focused on sustainability of farming systems. He has involvement in horticulture crop breeding and seed production as well as pest management. Prior to MSU, Smeenk worked several years in biological pest control in greenhouses and three years in construction of golf courses.
All people interested in commercial horticulture production in Alaska are encouraged to attend Smeenk’s presentation on September 15.
Contact: Bob Gorman, Professor and Resource Development Agent (907-786-6300)