Greg Gebhart, agricultural specialist in plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, is the recipient of a staff 2026 Peer Award for Leadership and Service from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. He establishes and oversees 10-15 soybean field experiments throughout Iowa each year, focused on managing the soybean cyst nematode.
Gebhart is primarily responsible for all field operations for the experiments. He transports field equipment to the sites using a large semi-trailer truck and trailer that requires a commercial driver’s license to operate. He plants the experimental plots using equipment and methods a typical Iowa farmer would use. Then he monitors the studies for pests through the season until fall, when he harvests the plots in the experiments to measure yields. In the winter, Gebhart conducts preventative maintenance and repairs on the equipment, shares and discusses the year’s results with host farmers, and begins sampling fields and planning for the next season.
“Greg is good natured, kind and very generous with his time and his knowledge,” stated a colleague. “He is extremely well spoken and enjoys educating farmers about the research we do in our program.”