Houston Wilson is a UC Cooperative Extension specialist in entomology at UC Riverside and the founding director of the UC Organic Agriculture Institute. Drawing on his early studies in agroecology, Wilson develops integrated pest management (IPM) strategies for high-value California crops like almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and grapes. His work bridges research and real-world farming: for example, he and colleagues identified a new pheromone compound to monitor leaffooted bugs, which is now used by growers. Raised by mentors and shaped by experiences like working with small-scale farmers in Brazil, Wilson credits relationships for his success—and now aims to pay it forward through education and collaboration.