Dean's Column Winter 2013

Leadership is one of those words that we apply to many people in a university community.

Fred Poston, dean, CANR

“Leadership” is one of those words that we apply to many people in a university community. We expect our faculty members to lead students. We expect our chairs and directors to lead faculty members. And, yes, we expect the new dean to lead the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Ultimately, we expect that our students will learn leadership skills so they become leaders in their industries.

 Leadership is a critical skill in the agriculture and natural resources arenas. Being able to translate the science involved with our daily lives into real-world solutions is becoming more and more important. We look to our leaders to feed our growing populations, to guide us on finding renewable sources of fuel and to teach the next generation of Spartans.

 This edition of the Dean’s Update is all about leadership. Through the CANR, some of the brightest minds on the planet tackle real-world problems, crafting sensible solutions that have positive impacts in local communities and around the world. Endowed programsare a key to attracting and retaining the world-class scholars who share our vision. Patricia Norris and Bill Porter are great examples of professors leading endowed programs.

Our students continue to impress me, as they truly lead the way into the future. They will be charged to find solutions to problems we haven’t even conceived yet. Students such as Connor Hubbard, a Michigan resident who has taken on leadership roles in the FFA, and Stella Nhanala and Thelma Namonje, graduate students from Africa, whose work in plant breeding genetics and agricultural economics could change the future of a nation.

Researchers such as Rufus Isaacs and his team, who are working on a national crop pollination project that focuses on supporting specialty crop yields and profit by supporting wild and managed bees, are also leaders. The project is part of the USDA’s $101 million initiative to support the nation’s specialty crop producers. Our researchers continue to be considered the best in their fields and are continually considered for grants from national and international organizations.

If you’re not following the MSU team on its journey to put together the President’s Report, please check it out. You’ll find several CANR projects are represented, and more will be soon. Learn about Steve Safferman’s project to put harmful waste to healthy use, Jack Liu’s work to protect pandas and the planet, and Dana Kirk’s project in Costa Rica to create fuels from biowaste.

Thank you for your past and continued support for the CANR. I am happy to be back and look forward to meeting you on my travels around the state and nation.

Fred Poston
Dean, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

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