AgBioResearch

In his role as MSU AgBioResearch director and senior associate dean in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, George Smith provides strategic direction and administrative oversight of AgBioResearch operations, budget and personnel. Prior to being named director in 2021, Smith served as associate director of AgBioResearch from 2015 to 2021.

Among many accomplishments at MSU, Smith has been instrumental in development of the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture (M-AAA) in partnership with animal agriculture and allied industries and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. M-AAA provides funding for applied research and Extension projects directly tied to immediate priorities of animal agriculture in Michigan. Smith’s leadership has resulted in the procurement of $11.3 million in state funding support for the program (in collaboration with industry partners) since 2017.

Smith, a professor in the Department of Animal Science, obtained his doctoral and master’s degrees in Animal Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia -- both in the area of reproductive physiology. He earned his bachelor of science in animal science from the University of Idaho. His research has been continuously funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1998.