Recipient Organization
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
STILLWATER,OK 74078
Performing Department
Field & Research Service
Non Technical Summary
The Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station (OAES) at Oklahoma State University focuses on a mission of enhancing human well-being and the sustainability of plant, animal, and natural resource systems. The mission is addressed through conducting fundamental, translational, and applied research for the purpose of developing new knowledge and technologies that address priority issues for Oklahoma, the region, the nation, and the world.The geography of Oklahoma is quite diverse. Elevation rises nearly 5,000 feet from the southeast to the northwest as precipitation decreases from over 50 inches of annual rainfall to semiarid conditions with only 10 inches. To provide opportunities for research under these diverse conditions, OAES has developed research stations strategically located on key soils across the state that represent the diversity of climatic and other environmental factors common to agriculture and natural resource systems in the state. They serve as strategic outdoor facilities for Oklahoma State University Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (DASNR) faculty to conduct research and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service staff to perform demonstrations.The Field and Research Service Unit (FRSU) exists within OAES to provide for efficient management of the research station resources and other centralized facilities while making them available to researchers across vast focus areas within DASNR. While resources and infrastructure shiftin response to changing needs and fiscal resources, FRSU maintains the support of a continuum of foundational, translational, and applied research. Research conducted covers areas including engineering and plant, animal, and natural resource systems. The FRSU currently consists of 19 research stations that cover approximately 15,000 acres, a Stored Products Research Center, a core bio-safety lab, 3 growth chamber facilities, and 7 greenhouse complexes organized in 15 management groups under the FRSU Director.
Animal Health Component
70%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
70%
Developmental
20%
Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships;
211 - Insects, Mites, and Other Arthropods Affecting Plants;
205 - Plant Management Systems;
307 - Animal Management Systems;
121 - Management of Range Resources;
Subject Of Investigation
3310 - Beef cattle, live animal;
1699 - Pasture and forage crops, general/other;
0799 - Rangelands and grasslands, general;
1719 - Cotton, other;
2199 - Ornamentals and turf, general/other;
0210 - Water resources;
1199 - Deciduous and small fruits, general/other;
1599 - Grain crops, general/other;
2499 - Plant research, general;
Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);
Goals / Objectives
The Director of Field and Research Service Unit (FRSU) is to provide leadership for the operation, management, personnel, and budgets for the FRSU in support of the Oklahoma Agriculture Experiment Station (OAES) mission. The Director is to direct, coordinate, consolidate, and increase the efficiency of FRSU in order to best support current and future research and demonstration activities of the Division of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources (DASNR) faculty. This includes providing direction to operations that produce agricultural research products that are representative of the current and developing diversity produced in Oklahoma. The Director will also provide oversight to facilities for the study of Oklahoma's diverse natural resources and other multi-user facilities and services that benefit from central management including greenhouse complexes, growth chamber centers, and lab resources.
Project Methods
Under the leadership of the Director, the FRSU is to maintain operational efficiency by optimizing space utilization for research and production at each location. System efficiency will also be optimized through interaction of stations to effectively use labor and physical resources to meet the overall Unit mission. The Director will provide for prioritization of research, when needed, to ensure equal facility access opportunities for all faculty at any location.In addition to managing stations, the Director is to maintain a systematic means for maintenance and upgrade of facilities. The Director will work in coordination with other OAES Administration to develop research facilities and research capacity within FRSU to meet developing and future needs within OAES. This may include facilities that may come on-line or existing facilities that will benefit from management under the FRSU structure in the future.The Director is to coordinate the acquisition, maintenance and repair of multipurpose and/or multi-user equipment related to agriculture production, natural resource management, and diverse research needs at FRSU managed facilities. This includes responsibilities for procuring and maintaining a fleet of vehicles assigned to project leaders in support of their programs.