UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Gregory Roth, professor of crop and soil sciences in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been named state program leader for renewable and alternative energy for Penn State Cooperative Extension, on a half-time basis.

As state program leader, Roth will provide leadership for renewable and alternative energy extension programming in Pennsylvania, working to unify existing renewable energy extension efforts into a focused state program. He will collaborate with faculty researchers in Penn State’s Biomass Energy Center to facilitate the translation of new knowledge into extension educational programming, and to develop networks with other organizations and institutions interested in renewable and alternative energy.

Roth also will help identify funding and other resources for renewable and alternative energy programs and maintain training for cooperative extension and other outreach initiatives. He will work closely with College of Agricultural Sciences administrators, academic department heads, faculty, regional extension directors and county extension educators, as well as with academic and outreach programs in other colleges within the university.

“We felt this was a priority for the organization and chose to make changes in funding priorities to support the emerging area of renewable and alternative energy,” says Daney Jackson, associate vice-president for outreach and director of Penn State Cooperative Extension.

Roth plans to consolidate in-service training on various renewable and alternative energy activities in the college and university. Longer-term plans include developing Web-based resources and newsletters in collaboration with the Biomass Energy Center and building partnerships with state organizations with similar interests in renewable and alternative energy, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the state Department of Environmental Protection.

“I see Cooperative Extension serving as a conduit for helping local communities make informed decisions about use and development of alternative energy resources,” he says. “There’s a lot of potential for rural Pennsylvania to be a player in the alternative-energy sector, and Penn State has a lot of expertise to contribute to development of resources.”

As the governor and state Legislature develop a vision for a renewable-energy future, Roth says Penn State’s agricultural sciences faculty can provide resources to help frame the issues.

“We want to help,” he says. “I see us as having a lot to offer in engineering solutions that are compatible with animal-based agriculture in the state.”

Roth earned a bachelor’s degree in agronomy (with distinction) from Penn State in 1979, a master’s degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1981 and a doctorate in agronomy from Penn State in 1987. He is a recipient of multiple Certificates of Excellence for Educational Materials from the American Society of Agronomy and an Extension Award from the Northeast Branch of the same organization.

As an extension grain crops specialist, Roth has conducted research on the suitability of various crops for use in the production of biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel. He also has developed educational programs for extension educators, agribusiness groups and producers on managing drought stress, GMO issues, specialty corn hybrids, grain quality, organic grain production and producing corn silage using different hybrids and management strategies. Because the program leadership position is a half-time appointment, he will continue many of his activities in grain crop management and production.

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EDITORS: Contact Daney Jackson at 814-865-5410, or by e-mail at dgj3@psu.edu.

Writer-Editor: Gary Abdullah 814-863-2708 gxa2@psu.edu