Dr. Ken Pinkston influenced students and faculty for many years before his retirement from teaching at the OSU Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and OSU Extension. Pinkston and his wife Charlene established and garnered additional financial support for the OSU Endowed Professorship of Structural and Household Pest Control, and his efforts in the development of the department’s teaching program continue to play a pivotal role in the industry.

 

From 1976 to 1998, Pinkston’s research garnered more than $200,000 in funding for programs in Entomology and Plant Pathology. He conducted chemical control tests for new products that could be used on peanuts, soybeans and cotton, as well as pests found around the house. He wrote many training materials and manuals for state pest control operators, as well as helped develop the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Integrated Pest Management Program. His efforts earned the respect of the Oklahoma Pest Control Association, one of many donors that established the Pinkston Education Facility for Structural and Urban Pest Control at OSU.

 

Read more about Dr. Ken Pinkston's road to receiving the 2020 Distinguished Alumni award.