Robert McNiel,
Extension Professor

I joined the faculty in the Department of Horticulture in June 1976. I am currently Extension Specialist - Nursery and Landscape as well as Extension Professor. My appointment consists of 55% Extension, 30% Teaching and 15% Research.

My professional training included:
B.S. 1968 Iowa State University (41/2-year Nursery Management Option)
M.S. 1972 Purdue University (Horticulture)
Ph.D. 1975 Purdue University (Horticulture)

My Extension appointment has centered around educating Kentucky's emerging as well as established nursery and landscape industry. Since 1976, I have served as the Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association's Program Chairman for their annual meeting, and since the mid-1980s, Chairman of the Kentucky Certified Nurseryman program. Articles are published in KNLA's Nursery Views.

Since the mid-1980s, I have had a part in the development of the University of Kentucky Arboretum. This has included Master Plan development as well as plant procurement.

Applied research over the years has centered around pest and weed management related to woody plants, and production techniques including overwintering, pot-in-pot production, etc.

Residence instruction has included the undergraduate courses dealing with nursery production and landscape management. Since the early 1980s I have been co-advisor to the University of Kentucky Horticulture Club (www.uky.edu/StudentOrgs/Horticulture). It has been a well-traveled Club as it has toured industry and gardens on both the east and west coasts of the United States plus Northwest Europe and China. I am the advisor to the Club's ALCA competitive team. During the 1990s the University of Kentucky hosted two National ALCA Student Career Days.

My research appointment consists of a Regional Research Project. Since 1976, I have been a member of the S-290 (previous to 1999 it was S-103) Committee. The Regional Research Project title is: Technical and Economical Efficiencies of Producing, Marketing, and Managing Landscape Plants (www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/s290).