"Development of an Effective Extension / Research Program for Commercial Horticulture in Alaska"

Submitted by Becky Barber
Phone: 474-5807
10/16/03

Annette Wszelaki, Postdoctoral Researcher, The Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and a finalist candidate for the UAF Cooperative Extension Service Horticulture Specialist position, will give a presentation, "Development of an Effective Extension / Research Program for Commercial Horticulture in Alaska" on Monday, October 20 in Fairbanks. The presentation will start at 1:30 p.m. in Room 183 Arctic Health Research Building on the UAF campus.

The extension horticulture specialist position is a full time tenure track faculty position with 75 percent extension and 25 percent Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station School of Natural Resources and Agriculture Sciences. The position will be located in Palmer at the UAF Agriculture and Forestry Research and Extension Station. The position 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 & demonstrations, one-on-one grower contacts, published research & extension information, and teaching credit and non-credit courses in support of commercial horticulture.

Wszelaki received her Ph.D. in plant biology from University of California, Davis in 2001 and has been a postdoctoral fellow at The Ohio State University since 2002. Her research has included vegetable crop management, greenhouse management, organic farming, sustainable agriculture, weed control and post harvest handling of fruit and vegetable crops.

All persons interested in commercial horticulture production in Alaska are encouraged to attend Wszelaki’s presentation.

Contact: Bob Gorman, Professor & Resource Development Agent (907-786-6300)