MSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences embarks on strategic reorganization
Contact: Vanessa Beeson
STARKVILLE, Miss.—The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, or CALS, at Mississippi State University is announcing a strategic reorganization of its departments.
Led by Scott Willard, CALS dean and director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, or MAFES, in conjunction with MSU Extension Service Director Angus Catchot, this initiative aims to enhance training of the next generation of leaders while growing interdisciplinary research, teaching and outreach in agriculture and life sciences.
“Our goal is to build upon our rich legacy of more than 120 years of excellence while positioning CALS and MAFES to be at the forefront of agricultural research and education. These structural enhancements will provide new opportunities for our faculty and students and foster innovative research that addresses the pressing challenges of our time,” Willard said.
The new Department of Agricultural Science and Plant Protection will integrate the expertise of the college’s entomology and plant pathology faculty and expand to include the agricultural science bachelor’s degree program. The department is positioned to explore expanded interdisciplinary opportunities, paving the way for future growth. Fred Musser, entomology professor, is the interim department head. For more on the Department of Agricultural Science and Plant Protection, visit www.agscipp.msstate.edu.
The Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion will unite the strengths of the biochemistry and molecular biology and food science, nutrition and health promotion faculties. This new department is set to maintain the integrity of each department’s existing programs while fostering innovative interdisciplinary collaborations. Dan Peterson, professor and director of the Institute of Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, is the interim department head. For more on the Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion, visit www.bchnhp.msstate.edu.
Additionally, MSU’s Food Science Innovation Hub, funded, in part, by the Reed Family Endowed Professorship, will advance pioneering instruction and outreach in food science and safety. Wes Schilling, professor and director of the Muscle Foods and Sensory Laboratory, will serve as director of the Food Science Innovation Hub.
For more information about the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, visit www.cals.msstate.edu. In addition to the two new departments and innovation hub, CALS remains home to six other departments and one school: the School of Human Sciences and the departments of Agricultural Economics; Animal and Dairy Sciences; Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design; Plant and Soil Sciences; Poultry Science; and Agricultural and Biological Engineering, which splits its academic home with CALS and the Bagley College of Engineering.
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