UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Summertime means the living is easy. However, finding seasonal story ideas is often harder than it should be.
Faculty in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences can offer their expertise on a wide variety of summer subjects, ranging from ants to frozen yogurt.
The following faculty would be effective summer sources:
Arun Kilara, professor of food science. Kilara has frozen desserts down cold. He can give the scoop on ice cream and frozen yogurt and is an expert on food ingredients such as butter. His office number is 814-863-2963.
Steven Jacobs, senior extension associate in entomology. Jacobs is an expert on urban pests that can plague homeowners during the summer months. He also has done extensive research on Lyme disease and tick distribution. His office number is 814-863-3963.
Charles Pitts, professor of entomology. Pitts is an expert on flies and ticks. He also is knowledgeable about diseases passed from insects to humans such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. His office number is 814-863-7789.
Thomas Watschke, professor of turfgrass science, Peter Landschoot, associate professor of turfgrass science, and David Huff, assistant professor of turfgrass breeding and genetics. These three turfgrass experts can get to the root of almost any turfgrass problem or question. Watschke is an expert on all phases of lawn care and is particularly knowledgeable about weeds and how turf affects the environment. His office number is 814-863-7644. Landschoot is an expert on the care and maintenance of turfgrass. His office number is 814-863-1017. Huff is an expert on turfgrass varieties. His office number is 814-863-9805.
J. Robert Nuss, professor of ornamental horticulture, and Robert Berghage, assistant professor of horticulture. These two horticulturists can answer almost any question on home gardening. Nuss is an authority on the care and handling of landscape and indoor plants. His office number is 814-863-2196. Berghage is an expert on greenhouse plants and roses. His office number is 814-863-6168.
Dan Stearns, associate professor of landscape contracting. Stearns is familiar with all facets of landscaping, from driveway design to municipal landscape design. Stearns can be reached at 814-863-6167.
David Beattie, associate professor of ornamental horticulture. Beattie is an expert on growing, propagating and using perennials. His office number is 814-863-2263.
Kathleen Brown, associate professor of postharvest physiology. Brown is an expert on how fruit and other crops ripen and can explain how to keep produce fresh longer. She also can talk about the care and keeping of cut flowers and bedding plants. Her office number is 814-863-2260.
Margaret Brittingham, associate professor of wildlife resources. Brittingham is knowledgeable about birds and their behavior. She can explain how to attract a variety of birds to home landscapes. Her office number is 814-865-2130.
###
Contacts: Eston Martz Eston_Martz@agcs.cas.psu.edu 814-863-3587 814-865-1068 fax