Dr.
Ivan James Thomason
was born in
In 1954, he was appointed in
the Department of Plant Pathology of
the University of California Riverside Agricultural Experiment Station. Ivan
served UCR in research, education, public service and university administration
for 35 years before retiring in 1989. His
research emphasized nematodes of field crops and the development of plants with
resistance to nematodes. A very valuable contribution was his development of a
pest management program for the sugarbeet cyst nematode in the Imperial Valley
of California which was effectively utilized by growers and sugar producers.
He was a strong supporter of nematology
research at UCR and in the development of the
Department of Nematology at UCR. He served as chair of that department
from 1962-1969. He was an excellent
mentor to new faculty, postdoctoral fellows and to graduate students from around
the world. He was one of several faculty and administrators who conceived and
initiated the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. He served
as a Cooperative Extension Statewide IPM Director from 1976-1982. While in this
position he had overseas experiences involving pest management in
Between his retirement and his death
at age 82
on