2025 Outstanding Extension Educator Award Presented to Roberto Lopez
Roberto G. Lopez, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Controlled Environment/Floriculture Extension Specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University (MSU), has been named the 2025 Outstanding Extension Educator by the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS).
“I was honored when I learned that my MSU colleagues nominated me for the ASHS Extension award, as I only have a 25% Extension appointment, and I was even more honored when I received notification that I was the 2025 recipient. A big thank you to everyone who wrote letters of support and who has helped us build the e-GRO Extension platform,” says Lopez.
This award, established in 1985, honors educators who have made significant and valuable contributions to horticultural Extension education for 10 or more years. Lopez was formally recognized at the ASHS Annual Conference held in New Orleans, LA, following a rigorous selection process by the ASHS Awards Committee.
According to the ASHS, “The ASHS Outstanding Extension Educator Award recognizes educators who, over a decade or more, drive impactful change and leadership in horticultural extension.”
“Dr. Lopez’s leadership with the controlled environment and floriculture industry translates research results into relevant and implementable action that benefits growers and the industry,” says Jeannine Schweihofer, Ph.D., Associate Director of Agriculture and Agribusiness Programming at MSU Extension. “Roberto’s Extension efforts and educational initiatives, including the e-GRO platform, are commendable and evident by the peer recognition of this prestigious award.”
Since joining MSU in 2016, Lopez has contributed as a specialist in controlled-environment and floriculture agriculture. His work investigates how environmental factors in controlled environments, such as greenhouses, growth rooms, warehouse-based plant factories, and vertical farms, influence the propagation, quality, timing, and sustainability of specialty crops, including floriculture, strawberries, leafy greens, and herbs.
Lopez’s innovative research on energy-efficient lighting (especially LEDs), temperature, and CO₂ management has led to enhanced crop quality and production efficiency, benefiting both growers and industry stakeholders. To prepare the next generation of horticultural professionals, he also teaches undergraduate courses in:
- Floriculture Crop Production
- Greenhouse Structures and Management
- Hydroponic Food Production
Beyond the classroom, Lopez has extended his impact through outreach initiatives such as the Electronic Grower Resources Online (e-GRO) platform, developed in collaboration with Extension specialists and educators from other universities, which has delivered research-based production advice to more than 4,800 greenhouse growers in more than 130 countries.
“It is great to see Roberto receiving the national recognition he and his program deserve,” says Vance Baird, Professor and Chairperson of the MSU Department of Horticulture. “His scholarly outreach to the greenhouse/controlled environment industry, both digitally archived and in-person, is grounded in the high-quality applied science approach he utilizes when addressing stakeholder needs. In turn, this integration of research and outreach informs the learning experiences he provides our students in the classroom.”
To learn more about Lopez’s accomplishments and his award, please read the original article written by Mallory Marienfeld and found on the Michigan State University Extension website.
To learn about other 2025 Career Awards recipients from the 2025 ASHS Annual Conference, please click here for the full list of award winners.
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