UC-Davis Extension Advisor Receives 2013 Excellence in Extension Award
June 12, 2013 The University of California (UC)-Davis recently announced that Steven Terry Koike, plant pathology farm advisor for Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, as well a contributing columnist for American Vegetable Grower’s “View from the West” column, was awarded the 2013 Excellence in Extension Award by the American Phytopathological Society (APS), a prestigious national recognition.
As plant pathology farm advisor, Koike has an exceptional Extension program characterized by consistent, sustained levels of productivity and excellence. A native of San Diego, CA, Koike grew up working for his family’s wholesale orchid nursery. He attended UC-Davis and earned B.S. (plant science, 1978) and M.S. (pest management, 1980) degrees, both focusing on plant pathology. While at UC-Davis, Koike worked for Joseph Ogawa, a plant pathology professor who was known for problem-solving research that assisted farmers, and he met Extension academics who encouraged his interest in pursuing an Extension career.
Koike worked for five years as a regulatory plant pathologist and then in 1989 was appointed to his current position with UC Cooperative Extension. Stationed in the Salinas Valley’s county-based Extension office for 24 years, Koike has contributed significantly to California agriculture and to the science of plant pathology.
Koike’s research involves dozens of hosts (vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, cover crops, and forest trees), many different etiological factors (fungi, bacteria, viruses, and abiotic elements), and various epidemiological settings (field, greenhouse, forest, and conventional and organic farms). He consistently followed Extension’s time-honored model of addressing issues faced by clientele: collaborating with industry and fellow researchers; developing research-based information on the etiology, biology, and control of problems; communicating findings to clientele; and assisting clients in adopting change. His extensive bibliography attests to the broad scope of his research and to his success at fashioning cooperative teams.
For the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), county-based Extension advisors are required to perform academically under four rigorous criteria: Applied Research & Creative Activity; Extending Knowledge & Information; University & Public Service; and Affirmation Action Outreach. UCCE differs from most other Extension services nationwide in its requirement that advisors conduct strong independent, strong research programs.
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