Jan 18, 2022Jeremiah Dung named interim director for Central Oregon Ag Research Center
The College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University named Jeremiah Dung as the interim director for the Central Oregon Agricultural Research and Extension Center (COAREC).
He has been serving as acting director since November 2021 when Carol Tollefson stepped down from the director position she held since 2014.
Dung is an associate professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology leading research that aims to advance understanding of diseases impacting high-value specialty crops grown in the central Oregon region. He is well-regarded for the impact of his research in the carrot seed industry, and last year secured a $3 million grant from USDA Specialty Crops Research Initiative (SCRI) which aims to defeat a common bacterial pathogen that causes problems for carrot farmers.
Oregon grows 60% of the world’s carrot seed, and Dung’s research in the industry is an integral part of central Oregon’s agricultural and economic vitality.
“We are excited that Dr. Dung has agreed to step in as the interim director while we launch a search for a permanent director,” said Alan Sams, Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Director of the Agriculture Experiment Station. “His expertise of the station and the needs of the stakeholders in the region will help ensure the continuity of critical services.”
A search for a permanent director is expected to start in mid-2022 and will include input from the community and regional stakeholders.