Principal Investigator

Kelsey Galimba, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Horticulture 

Kelsey Galimba received her B.S. in Plant Biology from the University of California, Davis and her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Washington, where she characterized genes responsible for floral organ development in meadow-rue. She then completed a post-doc with USDA-ARS that used a combination of molecular and horticultural approaches to study fruit set and development in apple, peach, and plum. She joined MCAREC as an Assistant Professor in November of 2020, and is leading the Horticulture program here. Her research specializes in supporting sustainable sweet cherry and pear cultivation systems in the Mid-Columbia region by identifying methods to improve yield and quality of both tree fruit crops.

Email       kelsey.galimba@oregonstate.edu

Full Bio   Kelsey Galimba

Faculty Research Assistant

Santosh Kalauni

Santosh, originally from Nepal, earned his bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and an MS in Horticulture from Oregon State University. During his graduate studies, he worked under the guidance of Dr. R. Paul Schreiner and Dr. Patty Skinkis, conducting field and greenhouse experiments to evaluate the effects of potassium fertilization on vine nutrition and its interaction with mycorrhizal fungi. His thesis, titled “Impacts of Potassium on Pinot Noir Growth, Berry Composition, and Mycorrhizal Symbiosis,” was part of the High-Resolution Vineyard Nutrition Project, a federally funded initiative aimed at improving vineyard nutrition. After graduation, he joined the Galimba Lab at OSU’s Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Hood River, OR, to work on tree fruit research.

Email       santosh.kalauni@oregonstate.edu

Full Bio   Santosh Kalauni

Graduate Students

Claire Pierce, MS

Claire earned her Bachelor of Science in Plant Science from the University of Florida. Her background is in ornamental horticulture and greenhouse management. She has relocated to Hood River, Oregon, to pursue a Master’s degree in Horticulture under the mentorship of Dr. Kelsey Galimba. Her thesis research focuses on evaluating diverse pear (Pyrus) germplasm for key traits related to rootstock performance. This work involves using in vitro micropropagation techniques to assess responses to culture conditions and rooting treatments. Outside of the lab, Claire enjoys reading, hiking and exploring the natural beauty of Oregon.

Email    piercecl@oregonstate.edu

Research Technician

Travis Monahan

Travis is a Hood River native with a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Oregon State University, where he specialized in Ecological Landscaping and Urban Forestry. After graduation, he launched his own Landscape Design business and later transitioned into Nursery Production. Travis is currently a Research Assistant in the Galimba Lab at MCAREC, where he supports ongoing studies in cherry and pear tree research. Outside of the lab, he enjoys hiking and tending to his greenhouse, where he specializes in growing carnivorous plants.

Email    travis.monahan@oregonstate.edu

Geoff LaGoe

Geoff grew up in mid-Michigan, graduating from Michigan State’s College of Ag. and Natural Resources in 2013. In 2014, he moved west and has been working on small farms in varying capacities for over a decade. Most of his experience is in organic specialty crop production with specific interests in plant nutrition and mechanical weed control. In his role as a Research Tech. at MCAREC, Geoff assists in both farm and research operational capacities.

Email    geoffrey.lagoe@oregonstate.edu

Student Employee

Vivian Olson

Vivian is a summer student assistant in the Galimba horticulture lab at MCAREC. She is an undergraduate at Smith College majoring in Environmental Science and Policy. She also grew up in Hood River and loves to hike or spend time outdoors in the area

Jacob Wiessner

Jacob is a summer student assistant in the Galimba horticulture lab at MCAREC.  He just graduated from Hood River Valley High School and he is an incoming undergraduate student at Oregon State University going to be majoring in Ecological Engineering. He also loves to ski, hike, and bike around in the Hood River Valley.

Former lab members

Janet Turner – Research Technician 

Grey Roetcisoender – Undergraduate Student Assistant 

Mira Olson – Undergraduate Student Assistant 

Mackenzie DeNew – Faculty Research Assistant 

Emily Gallegos – Research Technician 

Yan Yan – Undergraduate Student Assistant