Pete was born at Holdrege, Nebraska, and grew up on a small
irrigated corn farm. His formative education was in a one room, one teacher
school in Phelps County. Pete is a graduate of Holdrege High, "The Dusters",
in 1958. He earned his B.S. in Technical Agronomy and M.S. in Soil Fertility
at the University of Nebraska and his Ph.D. in Soil Fertility at Iowa State
University in 1967.The first 17 years of Dr. Peterson's career were spent at the University of Nebraska teaching Introductory Soil Science, Soil Management, and Soil Chemistry Methods. His research there was on soil fertility problems of wheat and sugar beet. Pete's interest in no-till, water conservation, and soil organic matter was sparked by interactions with Prof. C.A. Fenster of Scottsbluff.
Pete moved to CSU in the summer of 1984. Now he team teaches Crop and Soil Management with Jack Fenwick. His research effort is in Dryland Soil Management, which is in cooperation with Dwayne Westfall. Their Dryland Agroecosystem Project was initiated in fall 1985, and its research goals are to: 1) increase overall precipitation use efficiency; 2) decrease soil erosion; and 3) reverse the long term organic matter loss pattern that has accompanied conventional cropping practices in dryland areas. Pete has served as major professor for 20 M.S. and 18 Ph.D. students.
Pete married Jackie in 1965, and they have two daughters, Kerstin and Ingrid. Kerstin and her husband, Russ, live in Chico, California, and they have three children. Ingrid and her husband, Dave, live in Fort Collins. Pete's favorite activity is teaching adult education at Faith Evangelical Free Church. Pete enjoys his work so much, that Jackie would say his profession is his hobby! He also enjoys hiking and skiing.
