Richard Kiesling, professor emeritus in the Department of Plant Pathology, died July 15 in Gainesville, Fla. He was born and raised in Rockford, Ill.
He earned a bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. After serving on the faculty of Michigan State University from 1952-60, he accepted the position of professor and chair of the newly formed Department of Plant Pathology at NDSU. With strong support from the College of Agriculture, he increased the depth and breadth of the plant pathology research, teaching and Extension activities at NDSU, growing the department from three tenure-track faculty members in 1960 to 13 at his retirement in 1988. While building the department, Kiesling remained active in teaching and research, both of which were his passion.
Kiesling's research at NDSU focused on the genetics and other aspects of covered smut of barley. He taught graduate-level courses on fungal genetics and principles and practices of plant pathology. He directed five graduate students and nine doctoral students through his career. A significant number of his doctoral students have gone on to have very successful careers in plant pathology, both in the United States and elsewhere in the world. Kiesling is survived by his wife, Frances, four children and five grandchildren.