UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State is seeking nominations and candidates for the next dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences.

The College of Agricultural Sciences is a dynamic academic organization that works to fulfill Penn State’s land-grant mission through its integration of teaching, research and extension. The college awarded the nation's first baccalaureate degrees in agriculture in 1861, shortly after Penn State’s founding. Today, the college houses nine academic departments that offer 17 undergraduate majors, 23 undergraduate minors, 13 graduate degree programs, three associate degree programs, and five certificate programs. Its more than 1,200 faculty and staff members support over 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. 

Faculty in the college contribute as both leaders and participants in a number of cross-disciplinary research endeavors across the University. The college has a strong commitment to transformational research with robust international networks and state-of-the-art infrastructure. Faculty in the college are leading the charge in cutting across thematic research areas, including agricultural and food systems; biologically based materials and products; community resilience and capacity; environmental resilience; and integrated health solutions. The college is home to some of the world’s preeminent research facilities, centers and institutes, as well as four additional Agricultural Experiment Station Research and Extension Centers. Through Penn State Extension, the college has a presence in all 67 Pennsylvania counties, with 175 educators and more than 11,000 volunteers. 

The College of Agricultural Sciences is seeking an inspirational leader who brings passion and an understanding of the convergent activities and disciplines that fuel the college’s mission. Reporting to the executive vice president and provost, the dean will provide visionary and innovative direction for the College of Agricultural Sciences while providing leadership and support for all faculty, staff and students.

The new dean should have a distinguished record of scholarly achievement and professional credentials appropriate for a tenured appointment at the rank of full professor, and have significant experience and demonstrable skills in leading and managing progressive change in a large, complex environment that exists within a leading public research university. As the college’s chief academic and operating officer, the dean will provide academic, budgetary and administrative leadership for the college, and be committed to continuous enhancement of teaching, research and extension. The dean will develop pathways for expanding educational opportunities, increase interdisciplinary research, build industry and community partnerships, lead strategic initiatives and planning that enhance excellence within the college, and promote extension and workforce development efforts that engage the University in serving the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

László Kulcsár has been serving as the college’s interim dean since Sept. 18, 2023, following the departure of former dean Richard Roush. 

Buffkin/Baker, an executive search firm, is assisting Penn State in the search. Inquiries of interest, nominations and applications should be submitted electronically, in confidence, to: 

Martin M. Baker, managing partner, Buffkin/Baker, at martin@buffkinbaker.com. 

Applications should include 1) a current CV and 2) a letter of interest that addresses the responsibilities and qualifications described in the full leadership profile available here. Priority consideration will be given to materials received by March 1.

The search committee, chaired by Marie Hardin, dean of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, is as follows:

• Jared G. Ali, Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Endowed Chair of Chemical Ecology and associate professor of entomology 

• C. Daniel Azzara, Alan R. Warehime Faculty Chair in Agribusiness and director of entrepreneurship and innovation, College of Agricultural Sciences 

• Cheyenne Bastian-Brown, undergraduate student in agricultural and extension education, and international agriculture, College of Agricultural Sciences

• Kathleen Bieschke, vice provost for Faculty Affairs and professor of education 

• Gary W. Felton, department head and Ralph O. Mumma Professor of Entomology, Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural Sciences 

• Stephan Goetz, professor of agricultural and regional economics and director of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education 

• Chris Houser, assistant director of Agronomy and Natural Resources Programs, College of Agricultural Sciences 

• Terra Ingram, administrative support coordinator for the SAFES Institute 

• Kerry Kaylegian, associate research professor in the Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences 

• Armen R. Kemanian, professor of production systems and modeling, Department of Plant Science, College of Agricultural Sciences 

• Kyra LoPiccolo, graduate student, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences  

• Todd Migliaccio, vice chancellor and chief academic officer and professor of sociology, Penn State Berks 

• Scarlett Miller, professor and director of the Center for Research in Design and Innovation; Administrative Fellow 

• K. Sandeep Prabhu, department head and professor of immunology and molecular toxicology, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences 

• Heather Preisendanz, associate professor, Department Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and associate director of research for the SAFES Institute 

• Cristina Rosa, associate professor of plant virology, Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology 

• Sanford “Sandy” Smith, teaching professor in forest resources, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management 

• Lauren Steinberg, senior director of development, College of Agricultural Sciences  

• Beth Tepsic, manager of departmental operations, Department of Food Science 

• Larry Terry, vice president for Outreach 

• Adele M. Turzillo, professor and department head, Department of Animal Science 

• Erin Wachter, director of state relations, Office of Government and Community Relations  

• Douglas Wolfe, associate vice president for Research and director of strategic initiatives, professor of materials science and engineering, nuclear engineering and additive manufacturing and design