Dr. Bruce A. Roberts, county director and agronomy farm adviser for UC Cooperative Extension in Kings County, has been named the first holder of the J.G. Boswell Endowed Chair in Plant Science at California State University, Fresno.
The chair was created with a $1.2 million gift from the James G. Boswell Foundation of Pasadena. Roberts will assume the chair in August 2004.
Roberts has 20 years of extension experience in applied research and providing adult education programs. His research interest revolves around plant and soil ecology for sustainable management, including work in crop physiology, soil fertility, water management, pest control, pre-harvest application and harvest of agronomic crops. Precision agriculture has been an extension of his research interest in the last three years.
Dr. Daniel Bartell, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, praised the selection of Roberts.
“The J.G. Boswell Chair in Agronomy is a critical position in the Plant Science Department and to the plant industry in the Valley,” said Bartell. “Bruce Roberts comes to us as a well-respected, experienced researcher and teacher who will be able to integrate the classroom with industry’s needs. He will also provide a tremendous conduit for continuing the collaborative efforts that we have under way with our counterparts in the University of California and the USDA,” Bartell said.
Mark Grewal, J.G. Boswell Co. vice president, said the company is pleased with the
selection of Roberts, a UC farm adviser “who understands industry and university issues.”
“We look forward to graduates who have a strong understanding about cotton and its importance to the state and the country as the challenges in our industry continue to grow,” Grewal said.
Dr. Earl Bowerman, chair of the Department of Plant Science called Roberts’ appointment “a milestone” for the department. “It is our first endowed chair and the fact that it is in agronomy is especially appropriate. Production of annual crops is the backbone of California agriculture and the science of agronomy also touches trees, vines, horticulture and, with forage crops, even animal agriculture,” he said.
Dr. Charlie Krauter, chair of the search committee for the J.G. Boswell Chair and professor in the Department of Plant Science, added: “The J. G. Boswell Foundation recognized its importance to agriculture at the university when it endowed the position and Dr. Roberts was selected from a distinguished group of applicants for the position. His extensive background in all of the major agronomic crops in the Central Valley will bring a wealth of knowledge to the students that are the future of California agriculture.”
A 1975 graduate of Fresno State with a bachelor of science degree in agronomy and soils, Roberts earned his master’s degree at Utah State University and his Ph.D. in ecology from the University of California at Davis.
He worked for Basic Vegetable Products in Hanford and King City from 1978-83 as an agronomist and stock seed manager.
In addition to his UC Extension role, Roberts is the chair of the UC West Side Research and Extension Center’s Research Advisory Committee and executive secretary for the California Chapter of the American Society of Agronomy. He previously served on the executive board of the California Plant and Soil Conference.
He is the author or co-author of numerous publications, including 30 peer-reviewed publications and 80 non-peer-reviewed publications.
