Extension Service Specialist

A Scientist working in a land-grant institution discovers that a combination of cat hair and dryer lint can repel tomato-eating slugs. Without an Extension Service Specialist, this remarkable discovery would stay buried in the lab. After all, Scientists aren’t known for their extensive communication skills. An Extension Service Specialist, by contrast, knows how to package this research into words that Farmers and amateur gardeners can understand.

As an Extension Service Specialist, you work directly with the researchers, Professors, and Scientists at the land-grant institution. These professionals feed you their articles, studies, and research results, and you distill the information for your team of Extension Agents.

You write reports for your Extension Agents that describe the work, and you sometimes create brochures that they can hand out to people in the community. If the topic is particularly thorny, you hold training classes and provide hours of instruction to help your team understand the issue.

Extremely innovative discoveries sometimes merit their own press conferences, and you speak about the issue with Reporters and friendly Newscasters. This helps you boost the profile of your school, and you have the opportunity to talk directly to people who are just itching to try new techniques in their very own backyard.

The state fair is a showcase of all things agricultural, and you play a big role in planning the exhibits and displays that will educate participants. At times, you even hold classes during the fair on topics such as water conservation, animal vaccines, lint packaging, or anything else that relates to agriculture.