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Alec Levin

Education: Ph.D., Horticulture and Agronomy, University of California, Davis, 2016; B.A., Psychology, University of Michigan, Dearborn, 2008.

Employment: 2023-Present, Branch Experiment Station Director, Oregon State University; 2022-Present, Associate Professor, Oregon State University; 2016-2022, Assistant Professor, Oregon State University; 2012-2016, Graduate Student Researcher, University of California, Davis.

ASEV Activities: 2024, Invited Speaker, ASEV Red Blotch Symposium; 2023, Member, Best Paper Committee; 2022, Member, Best Student Presentation Committee; 2015-Present, ASEV Member/Reviewer

Other Activities: 2023-2024, Chair, NCSFR Viticulture Research Priorities Committee; 2022-2023, Vice-Chair, NCSFR Viticulture Research Priorities Committee; 2022-2023 Member, NVEELC Steering/Organizational Ad-hoc Committee; 2019-Present, Chair, ISHS Grapevine Physiology, Genetics, and Management Working Group; 2016-2023, Member/Reviewer, American Society for Horticultural Science; 2016-Present, Member, International Society for Horticultural Science; 2016-Present, Core Faculty Member, Oregon Wine Research Institute, Oregon State University; Co-Project Director for USDA-SCRI Grape Smoke Exposure Project; Lead OSU PI for USDA-SCRI Red Blotch Project; Reviewer for many plant science and horticulture journals; Applied viticulture research program focuses on understanding the physiology of grapevines (with foci on plant water relations, carbohydrate metabolism, and fruit ripening biochemistry), and applying that knowledge to improve vineyard management practices in the context of enhancing the economic and sustainable production of wine grapes. Current projects include: (1) determine impacts of wildfire smoke exposure on grapevine physiology and develop mitigation strategies; (2) determine optimal irrigation initiation time using fruit quality thresholds; (3) characterize grapevine rootstock drought tolerance using stable isotopes; (4) refine cultural practices to lessen negative impacts of Grapevine Red Blotch Disease; (5) research and demonstration vineyard development at SOREC.