David Robson is a center-based educator and received a bachelor's degree in horticulture from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, and a master's degree in education from the University of Illinois. He has been employed by the University of Illinois Extension since 1980.

Robson is a member of Gamma Sigma Delta, Epsilon Sigma Phil (ESP), Illinois Extension Agricultural Agents (IEAA) and National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA).

He served on the University's Council of Academic Professional from 2000 until 2006, serving two terms as chair. He has served on the UI-UC Provost Search committee and is a member of the Provost's Academic Professional Taskforce.

He has received more than 30 state, regional and national communications awards from IEAA and NACAA. He is a past recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from NACAA and National Junior Horticulture Association, University of Illinois Extension Service Outstanding and Innovative Program Awards, the ESP Mid-Career Service Award. He was a 2006 recipient of the Chancellor's Academic Professional Excellence award.

He is a past President of the Springfield Civic Garden Club, and is currently a Master Judge and Instructor for the National Garden Clubs, Inc. He has served on the board of several community organizations including Lincoln Memorial Garden and as a founding member of the Springfield Park District Foundation.

Program Offerings

Robson has responsibility for horticulture programming in more than 60 counties in central, eastern and southern Illinois. Commercial and home horticulture for all ages is offered either as multi-county/unit programs or through individual efforts.

Commercial responsibilities involve arborist training, municipal/community beautification, lawn care and grounds maintenance training, Pesticide Safety Education Program training, and Nursery-Garden Center employee training.

Master Gardener Training is provided in regional locations over a two-year period with Robson providing education training, including continuing and advanced trainings for central and southern Illinois. Unit requests for home horticulture-related programs are offered as needed. Robson works with 4-H youth at the local, state and national levels, primarily through specimen judging, identification and demonstration contests.

Robson has developed and offers through local units several home study courses including lawn care, landscaping and tree selection and care.

Various program offerings include:

• Master Gardener Training
• Continuing Education Training
• Advanced Master Gardener Training: Tree ID
• Woody Ornamental Selection and Maintenance - Trees, Shrubs, Underused and Underplanted Specimens, Maintenance, Vines
• Herbaceous Ornamentals - Selection and Use, Annuals, Perennials
• Pest Control in the Landscape
• Turfgrass Maintenance
• School Gardening Programs -First throughfourth grades
• 4-H Horticulture Judging and Demonstration contests

Robson hosts weekly call-in programs each Thursday on WICS TV-20, Springfield, and monthly radio show in Jacksonville (WLDS) and Springfield (WCVS). He provides a monthly column for the Springfield State Journal-Register and a monthly article for the Association of Illinois Electrical Cooperative's Illinois Country Living magazine.

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