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CORVALLIS - L.J. "Kelvin" Koong, a long-time faculty leader and administrator at Oregon State University, has been named interim dean and director for the OSU Extension Service. His appointment is effective immediately.

Koong is a professor of animal sciences who has held a variety of posts since coming to OSU in 1987. He has been associate dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, associate director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, interim dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, and agricultural program leader for the OSU Extension Service.

"Kelvin has the leadership skills and the experience with the legislature to help guide Extension over the next year," said Sabah Randhawa, OSU's interim provost and executive vice president.

Koong succeeds Lyla Houglum, who had directed Extension since 1995.

As interim dean and director, Koong will oversee a changing Extension program that has about 500 faculty and staff members who conduct formal and informal educational programs for Oregonians around the state. These programs support OSU's land-grant mission and include five core areas: 4-H Youth Development, Agriculture, Family and Community Development, Forest, and the Marine Science/Sea Grant Program.

Randhawa said Koong will help Extension align itself closely with the university's new strategic plan.

A 1964 graduate of National Taiwan University, Koong continued his education in the U.S., receiving a master's degree in animal science and a Ph.D. in biomathematics from North Carolina State University. He joined the faculty of the University of California-Davis in 1973, and remained there for seven years, working in animal science and agronomy, and range science

Koong worked as a research leader for three years at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Nebraska, before being named associate dean for research and associate director of the Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Nevada at Reno in 1983.