New Faces: Robert Cating

Welcome to Robert Cating, Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, CTAHR’s new assistant Extension agent. Cating, who will be stationed in Hilo, will conduct Extension programs for floriculture, nursery, and related industries, primarily on the Island of Hawai‘i but also statewide. He comes to CTAHR from Oregon State University, where he managed the Plant Disease Diagnostic lab. He was a post-doctoral fellow at USDA BARC in Beltsville, Maryland, after graduating from the University of Florida with a specialization in the molecular diagnosis and management of orchid pests and pathogens.