Maine native Dr. Wesley Autio completed his undergraduate education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1979 (B.S., Horticulture) before embarking on graduate degrees in the University of Massachusetts Amherst Plant and Soil Science Department (M.S., 1982; Ph.D., 1985). Dr. Autio landed a faculty position in the Plant and Soil Science Department in 1985, following the completion of his doctoral degree, and has been teaching in the Stockbridge School of Agriculture ever since. He has published hundreds of agricultural research articles, assisted Massachusetts fruit growers as the UMass Extension Tree Fruit Specialist, and taught hundreds of UMass students about fruit cultivation, botany, and biometrics. In this interview, Dr. Autio reflects upon his experiences as a UMass graduate student and professor, changing attitudes towards sustainable farming, and the influence of shifts in the Massachusetts farming industry upon agricultural education at UMass. Dr. Autio also speaks about the legacy of Professor Levi Stockbrige and his visions for the future of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture.
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