Jay W. Pscheidt was born in Galesburg, Illinois and earned his B.S. degree in Bacteriology (1980) and M.S. (1983) and Ph.D. (1985) degrees in Plant Pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He worked as a Research Associate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Cornell University before starting his current position as an Extension Plant Pathology Specialist at Oregon State University (OSU) in Corvallis, Oregon in 1988 where he leads an Extension-based, applied research program. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1993 and to Professor in 1999. His position responsibilities include the delivery of statewide Extension education programs in diagnosis and management of diseases on an extremely diverse set of crops that include fruits, nuts, ornamental/nursery plants, turf, and Christmas trees. Dr. Pscheidt also teaches a summer course in plant disease diagnosis, a popular course that provides students with hands-on experience diagnosing plant health problems in the field.
Dr. Pscheidt contributions to Extension outreach span decades. He is a recognized leader in innovative uses of new media in Extension education. As an Extension Plant Pathologist, Dr. Pscheidt utilizes all available methods to deliver science-based information to the public, including traditional mediums such as lectures, short courses and workshops (n = 44), online training courses (e.g. the Phytophthora Online Course: Training for Nursery Growers), streaming videos in both English and Spanish, social media and electronic publications. He combines these efforts with highly creative ways to reach his audiences, such as 3-D printed models of diagnostic structures for trainings in pathogen identification, geocaching for plant diseases, catchy songs, and plant disease-themed playing cards. His efforts in Extension education are sustained and outstanding. He has participated in over 100 grower field tours, taught 106 Master Gardener classes, and contributed to numerous college and K-12 class lectures. He interacts directly with questions from the public through the online “Ask an Expert" program, answering over 800 questions from around world since 2011. Remarkably, Dr. Pscheidt's outreach and Extension efforts directly impacts over 5,000 individuals annually.
Perhaps one of Dr. Pscheidt's most notable Extension efforts is his work on the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Plant Disease Management Handbook, of which he has been a senior editor since 1989. In 1996, when the Internet was still in its relative adolescence, Jay completed the (at the time) monumental task of publishing the Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Management Handbook online. Early features included full text searching, color pictures and print-on-demand fact sheets that are common today but were unusual and highly desired by many users at the time. The handbook was the first and most comprehensive plant disease information repository on the Internet. This publication serves as an easily accessible, up-to-date reference guide for the chemical control and IPM of the more important plant diseases in the PNW; the handbook is updated annually and widely used by county Extension agents, growers, crop consultants, field and nursery workers, and chemical industry representatives across the U.S. and around the world. In its first year online, the handbook received over 40,000 hits and now receives hundreds of thousands of visits each year. Since he began as Senior Editor, the handbook has grown from 272 pages to over 1,000 pages and is among the most accessed Extension publications for plant diseases in the world.
Dr. Pscheidt's Extension program is seamlessly integrated into his Research efforts, through which he has made substantial contributions to the science of plant pathology. His research program has focused on the management of eastern filbert blight, kernel mold and bacterial blight of hazelnuts, management of mummy berry of blueberry, the cultural, biological, and chemical control of diseases affecting ornamentals (such as those caused by Pseudomonas syringae), understanding the distribution and spread of poorly characterized viruses affecting cherry production, and the testing of novel spray technologies. Over the course of his career, Dr. Pscheidt has authored 43 peer-reviewed and refereed journal articles, 11 chapters in books and APS Compendia, 33 Extension Bulletins and Fact Sheets, and an astounding 133 peer-reviewed technical reports. Dr. Pscheidt also coordinates one of the largest fungicide evaluation programs in the Pacific Northwest and distributes his findings in an annual booklet that is widely used by crop consultants, chemical industry representatives, and Extension personnel in the region; this booklet is archived and available as an online resource with results dating back to 2000.
Dr. Pscheidt's service contributions to APS and the APS Pacific Division are numerous and impressive. He served on the APS Committee on Illustrations of Plant Pathogens and Diseases (1990-1993), Extension Committee (1991-1994), and Financial Advisory Committee (2017-2019), as well as Associate Editor for Plant Disease, Senior Editor for Plant Disease and Plant Health Progress, and APS Council Divisional Counselor. He is a respected leader in and strong advocate for APS Divisions. He served as President, and Divisional Forum Representative for the APS Pacific Division and is an active participant in many annual Pacific Division meeting and business meetings. Not surprisingly, he was awarded the APS Pacific Division Distinguished Service Award in 2017 and the APS Pacific Division Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.
Dr. Pscheidt has developed an impactful, wide-reaching Extension program that is highly respected by his colleagues and clientele in the U.S. and internationally. This is exemplified by the numerous Dr. Jay W. Pscheidt – APS Excellence in Extension Award Nomination Statement 3 recognitions he has earned, including the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences (CAS) Briskey Award for Faculty Excellence, the OSU CAS Oldfield/Jackman Team Award (twice), the OSU Extended Education Faculty Achievement Award, and the OSU Extension Association Search for Excellence Award. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Jay is an exemplary colleague and gives his time to mentor students, junior faculty, and the youth in his community. Dr. Jay W. Pscheidt is an exemplary Extension educator, leader, mentor, and a model for the profession of plant pathology.
