High Flyer

By: Kaitlynn Sebo, Sprio, Oklahoma

Raised on a dairy near smalltown Snyder, Oklahoma, Bob Westerman developed a passion for agriculture in his youth. When he graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1961 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education, his career took another direction.

“I initially wanted to be a vocational agriculture teacher,” Westerman said. “Then, I got offered a part-time job working in the soil fertility research program, which is how I really got interested in agronomy.

“Also, during my undergrad program at OSU, I was trained as a fixed-wing pilot through the Army ROTC aviation program,” Westerman said. “When I went into the military, I got transferred into the helicopter flight program.”

During his time in the Army, Westerman was a test pilot for recently repaired helicopters. At this time, helicopters were new to the military force and the Army was learning how to equip them with weapons, he said.

Bob Westerman, OSU alumnus and emeritus faculty member, dedicated 37 years to wheat development at OSU.

Photo by Kaitlynn Sebo.

“The guys said Bob was the best pilot in their class,” said Sharon Westerman, Bob Westerman’s wife. “They gave him the nickname ‘Tiger’ because he was not afraid to try anything.”

After three years in the military, Bob Westerman furthered his education at the University of Illinois, where he earned a doctoral degree in soil science in 1969.

He was at his first higher education job as a soil scientist at the University of Arizona from 1969 to 1976.

With so many flight hours in various aircraft under his belt, Bob Westerman completed the requirements to get his commercial pilot’s license, which he used in his position.

Sharon Westerman said her husband used his expertise in aviation to fly from place to place, which allowed him to be more efficient with time and money so he could conduct more research than he could traveling by car.

“When we were living in Tucson, Arizona, we had a research station in Yuma, Arizona, which was probably a six-hour drive,” Bob Westerman said. “So, I would get my colleagues and fly there in two hours, do a day’s work, and fly back in the same day instead of taking three days to do it.”

In 1976, Bob Westerman joined the agronomy faculty at OSU as an associate professor for soil fertility. He was promoted to professor, then Regents professor, then department head throughout the course of 25 years on the plant and soil sciences faculty.

Brian Arnall (left), Bob Westerman and Bill Raun have led the research at the Magruder wheat plots, which are the oldest continuous fertility research plots in the Great Plains.

Photo courtesy of OSU Agricultural Communications Services.

“One of the best times of my career was the interaction with graduate students as they pursued advanced degrees, being able to work with them and teach them how to conduct research and present their materials to professional societies,” Bob Westerman said. “I enjoyed being able to teach at the graduate level. I had great major advisers who helped guide me through education and research. Hopefully, I was able to transmit that to my students, as well.”

The faculty chose to change the department name from agronomy to plant and soil sciences while Bob Westerman was serving as department head.

Bob Westerman was a successful faculty member and researcher, said Bill Raun, Bob Westerman’s friend, former student and former co-worker, who added his colleague was well-loved by his students and co-workers.

“Bob Westerman has received a lot of awards, but I would say his greatest award is his students,” Raun said. “He has many students who are doing incredibly well because of him. Teaching is the most important thing we do.”

Through his research at OSU, Bob Westerman said he led the efforts to develop the best soil fertility management practices for crops in Oklahoma. He also was instrumental in passage of legislation to create sustainable funding for soil fertility research, education and graduate student training, he added.

Bob Westerman was the researcher in charge of the Magruder wheat plots from 1977 to 1991. These plots are the oldest continuous fertility wheat research plots in the Great Plains and the third oldest in the United States.

During his time as a tenured research faculty member, he received a Fellow Award from the Soil Science Society of America and the Agronomic Achievement Award from the American Society of Agronomy.

Bob Westerman served as assistant director of the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station for five years until he became assistant vice president of agricultural programs at OSU in 2006. Retiring in 2013, he said the highlight of his career was receiving the Distinguished Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Alumni Award from OSU in 2015.

“Bob Westerman would be the first pick on your team,” Raun said. “You want him on your side. He’s one of those iconic people in your life. Some people forget to thank others, but Dr. Westerman is one of those people I never forget to thank.

“He took a big chance on me,” Raun added. “What a gift it was for me.”