WHEREAS, Dr. R. James Cook had a long and distinguished career at Washington State University, where he dedicated forty years to pursue cutting edge research in plant pathology and crop and soil science, revolutionizing how agriculture approaches crop productivity and disease management; and
     WHEREAS, Prior to Dr. Cook's career at Washington State University, he served as the Chief Scientist at the United States Department of Agriculture and received a Superior Service Award; and
     WHEREAS, The Washington State University Faculty Association for Scholarship and Research honored Dr. Cook with a Lifetime Achievement Award; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Cook was awarded the Wolf Prize for Agriculture by the Wolf Foundation for his seminal discoveries in plant pathology and soil microbiology; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Cook published more than two hundred peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and has coauthored two books contributing to our understanding of many critical topics in plant health; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Cook was the first to recognize and document a "green bridge" of living roots transferring diseases from one plant to another, thus identifying a major contributor to root disease; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Cook developed a management strategy to reduce the impact of the green bridge through innovations in crop rotation strategies; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Cook is a distinguished researcher who has made many cost-saving and effective contributions to agricultural practices related to direct seed practices; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Cook's work has improved disease control in wheat and barley and has contributed to a paradigm shift in how plant diseases are treated in many other crops, resulting in increased production of valuable food crops; and
     WHEREAS, As a recognized and esteemed plant pathologist, Dr. Cook contributed to modern science's understanding of cereal root diseases and methods to use crop rotation to minimize root disease with his research spanning multiple diseases worldwide; and
     WHEREAS, As chair of a Study Committee for the Washington State Academy of Sciences, Dr. Cook and the Study Committee conducted important research to identify approaches and opportunities for research on understanding and managing root diseases of Douglas fir; and
     WHEREAS, Douglas fir is the backbone of Washington State's timber economy, making this research critical for the long-term economic and environmental health of Washington State; and
     WHEREAS, As a gubernatorial appointment, Dr. Cook was entrusted to serve as Trustee of the Washington State Life Science Discovery Fund Authority; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Cook served for two years as Interim Dean of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resources Sciences at Washington State University; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Cook has been an esteemed member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the International Society of Plant Pathologists, and served as president of the Washington Academy of Sciences; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. Cook served as president and fellow of the American Phytopathological Society; and
     WHEREAS, In 1998, the Washington Wheat Commission made a 1.5 million dollar gift to the Washington State University Foundation to establish the R. James Cook Endowed Chair in Wheat Research, with Dr. Cook as the first holder of the chair;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate celebrate and commemorate the distinguished and multifaceted research career of Dr. R. James Cook; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Dr. R. James Cook and members of his family.