By Gary Gao, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Extension Specialist
I am very happy to introduce Dr. Lijing Zhou, who joined the fruit research and Extension team as a research associate at OSU South Centers in Piketon on July 3, 2017. Dr. Zhou worked at Western Carolina University before she came to The Ohio State University. She also worked at North Carolina State University as a research program postdoctoral scholar. Dr. Zhou received her M.S. and Ph.D. from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX. She also received an MBA from the Western Carolina University College of Business, in Asheville, NC.
Dr. Zhou brings skills in field and greenhouse experiments, plant propagation, selection and evaluation, as well as strong laboratory skills and statistical analysis. As a student, she received numerous scholarships and honors.
Dr. Zhou’s position is funded by several of our specialty crop block grants from the USDA through Ohio Department of Agriculture. She will work under Dr. Gary Gao and will work with research assistant, Ryan Slaughter. Dr. Zhou will be involved in all of our small fruit research projects and Extension programs at OSU South Centers. We are very excited to have Dr. Zhou on our team and look forward to working with her.