Q&A with IA award recipient Dave Goorahoo: Insights on irrigation education and the future of the industry

Dave Goorahoo, PhD, of Fresno State shares his 24-year journey in irrigation education and his vision for the future of the industry.
BY LUKE REYNOLDS
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Dave Goorahoo, PhD, of California State University, Fresno, has been a driving force in irrigation education for over two decades, earning him the 2024 Excellence in Education Award from the Irrigation Association. With 24 years of experience as a research soil scientist and a professor of vegetable crops production, Goorahoo has developed numerous courses and training programs that have profoundly impacted his students and the future workforce of the irrigation industry. His commitment to fostering the next generation of irrigation professionals is evident in his innovative teaching methods and his dedication to promoting irrigation careers. In this Q&A, Goorahoo shares insights into his journey, the rewards of his work and his vision for the future of irrigation education. 

Could you share what inspired you to pursue a career in irrigation and education and how your journey has evolved over the past 24 years at California State University, Fresno?

Serendipity! “The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.” I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. Even though I may not understand why I am in a certain situation, there is a life lesson to be learned. For example, never in my wildest dreams did I envision that my first soil physics course in the 1980s would be the spark that ignited what turned into a gratifying profession focused on teaching irrigation principles, which I enjoy! Fast forward to 2000, when I started my career at Fresno State with the Center for Irrigation Technology, the opportunity to interact with the many knowledgeable colleagues and industry stakeholders has been nothing short of inspirational. The dedication and passion demonstrated by these individuals have been infectious. I still distinctly remember attending the Irrigation Show for the first time and being in awe that an organization recognized the importance of water and its management in the success of food production.  

As a faculty member in the Plant Science Department, I am mandated to teach vegetable production at the undergraduate and graduate levels. I have the privilege and freedom to develop various courses and research projects that explore different aspects of irrigation technology. Other faculty members’ scientific collaboration and expertise have been a significant source of support and motivation in my quest to excel as an educator. In addition, being located in Fresno County – commonly called the “Food Basket of the World” – is like having a “living laboratory” where growers continuously explore innovative ideas to optimize water use efficiency. Finally, the genuine interest and willingness of the students to gain hands-on experience and contribute to the success of the agriculture sector to feed the rapidly increasing global population is another source of inspiration for me to continue my career in irrigation and education!  

What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your role as a professor and research soil scientist, particularly in relation to the development of irrigation-related courses and training programs?

The obvious answer is student success and their contribution to the advancement of the irrigation industry. There is no greater joy than seeing a former student perform professionally in the workforce with confidence and knowledge influenced by what they learned in one of my courses. 

Another gratifying experience is my former students’ willingness to give back! Many students have contacted me, served as guest lecturers and assisted with various irrigation-related events. It is incredible how easy it is for me to reach out and successfully obtain volunteer help on short notice.  

On a personal note, I am continuously learning and keeping abreast of the challenges and opportunities related to efficient irrigation. This has allowed me to develop new course material and conduct cutting-edge interdisciplinary irrigation research and training programs. 

The Excellence in Education Award is a testament to your commitment to your students and the future workforce. What strategies have you found most effective in promoting irrigation careers to your students?

I have always loved and enjoyed teaching, allowing me to approach my vocation passionately. So, first and foremost, that passion and enthusiasm must be there… it is infectious!  

My primary guiding principle in my endeavor to be an effective teacher is that “to be a good teacher, one must first be a better student.” I am always willing to learn new teaching skills and keep up with current knowledge. Hence, over the almost 25 years that I have been at Fresno State, I have taught several different courses related to crop production, food society and the environment, research methodology, soil science, irrigation, introductory plant science, groundwater hydrogeology, organic farming, seed technology and statistics. In addition, I have always been willing to cover for colleagues on sabbatical or other travel commitments, thereby allowing me to learn concepts that I may not have been very familiar with in my role as the vegetable crop professor in the department. By getting out of my comfort zone, I ensure that I learn and understand the material I eventually incorporate into my irrigation-related courses. 

My second self-imposed mandate is to “be the professor I always wanted as a student.” I strive to be an approachable professor and earn the student’s respect through compassion rather than fear. Hence, I know that at Fresno State, many students work to meet their financial needs while attending college. I also recognize that my students have diverse social and economic backgrounds and possess different learning styles. As a result, I empathize with these students by my willingness to work with their schedules and incorporate various teaching and evaluation techniques in my courses. For example, I utilize a combination of multiple choice and short answers essay-type questions, take-home assignments, structured term papers, oral presentations and online quizzes to facilitate these different learning styles. I strongly believe in learning by doing and include experiential learning opportunities in my courses.  

Finally, my role as an effective teacher must be “one of empathy for my students while applying the following principles: respect, fairness, compassion, and intellectual challenge.” 

Looking ahead, what do you see as the most significant challenges and opportunities for the next generation of irrigation professionals, and how do you plan to address these in your continued work?

We are clearly in the age of rapid technological advancement and information dissemination via electronic media. Tools such as artificial intelligence  and computer software modeling are commonplace and readily available to the next generation of irrigation professionals. Access to apps on the internet will be the norm, as opposed to the exception afforded by the privileged user. This will mandate that I, as an educator still transitioning from the pre-internet days, will have to become more competent with these technological advances. Nonetheless, there will still be a need to ensure that students fully understand the underlying principles and basic theory when calculating concepts such as irrigation scheduling, flow rates, irrigation efficiency and distribution uniformity. They must be aware that “garbage in means garbage out!” Only then will the end user be confident that the output provided is sensical and can adopt the computer applications appropriately.  

As an educator, I would need to implement different pedagogical approaches. Since the students will have easy access to data and information about any irrigation technology, developing their critical thinking skills would be necessary. Educators must ensure that the next generation of students does not lack hands-on training. We will also have to instill that water management is an interdisciplinary collaboration such that students will appreciate that irrigation incorporates economic, environmental, and social components. The entrepreneurial mindset will be a significant guide as students will recognize that finding a solution for every challenge represents an opportunity!

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