Steve Young was excited to start his new job as the director of Oregon State University’s North Willamette Research and Extension Center. “Of all the places, this is pretty primo. Getting to work in agriculture in this kind of environment is pretty rare,” he said. (Courtesy Oregon State University)

Steve Young, the new director of Oregon State University’s North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora, Ore., hopes to boost the profile of the 160-acre farm facility.

The center works on cutting edge topics that address fundamental societal, environmental and economic issues.

“This is a hidden gem that we need to have more awareness of,” Young said. He added there also was immense potential.

The center, which has about 25 faculty and staff workers as well as 30 seasonal employees, is a short drive from Portland. That opens opportunities for farm-to-table offerings, small agricultural operations and urban agriculture.

There’s also the chance to connect with technology companies involved in robotics, agrivoltaics and other fields.

The fertile nature of the Willamette Valley, where more than 170 crops are grown, means that numerous commodities — including berries, hazelnuts, dairy products, Christmas trees and ornamental nursery plants— are studied at the center.

“That’s unique to this station among all the stations OSU has. We’re probably the most diverse in our crop production and the natural resource management that we address,” Young said.

He hopes to broaden work into additional areas, such as traditional method sparkling wine.

“We’re only scratching the surface. I’m excited about where we could go with a number of these fields,” Young said.

Young, who started work June 16, was most recently a USDA Agricultural Research Service national program leader with a focus on integrated pest management in cropping systems.

The position served as a liaison between the science and policy makers, industry and other groups.

Young advocated for research and scientists, helping people understand why studies were necessary and why the nation should prioritize them.

He thinks his new job will be similar.

“As the director, it’s my responsibility to know the research that’s being conducted, the extension work, and advocate for why that’s important,” Young said.

“It’s also important to build relationships and make connections,” he said, including showing how research connects to everyday residents’ lives.

One of the reasons the OSU job was appealing to Young was that he could work more closely with scientists and stakeholders.

“This gives me the opportunity to interact with their research on a daily basis. … I came to find that I really valued that,” Young said.

He said his student and work experience across the region and country provides perspective that can help scientists and stakeholders, allowing him to think about the bigger picture while keeping local needs in mind.

Young’s job also allowed him to return to the Pacific Northwest.

“This area of the country is where I’ve grown up and there’s a lot of attraction there to me,” he said.

He feels like he can contribute because of his understanding and familiarity with the area, as well as his connections with residents.

Young grew up in Naches, Wash., and his family’s farm included cherries, apples, peaches, cattle and sheep.

“I was in 4-H for 10 years. That really started everything for me,” Young said.

As a teen, he knew he wanted to work outside in biology and contribute to food systems.

“The agrarian lifestyle is very fulfilling in many ways. That was something I wanted to be part of,” Young said.

Steve Young

Job: Director of the Oregon State University North Willamette Research and Extension Center

Family: Married with three children

Education: Bachelor’s degree in horticulture, Washington State University, master’s degree in plant science, University of Idaho, Ph.D in soils and biogeochemistry, University of California-Davis, postdoctoral research at WSU’s Center for Precision Automated Agricultural Systems, where he explored biofuel cropping systems.

Work history: Previously was a USDA Agricultural Research Service national leader, director of the Northeastern Integrated Pest Management Center at Cornell University and held faculty appointments at Utah State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The name game: Young shares a name with a famous NFL quarterback, but grew up a diehard Seattle Seahawks fan.