Daniel J. Robison from West Virginia University has been named the next endowed dean of Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and director of the Iowa Agricultural and Home Economics Experiment Station.
Robison portraitRobison, dean of the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, and director of the West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station, will begin his tenure by March 31.
“Dr. Robison has the vision, leadership experience and land-grant spirit to further strengthen the college’s international reputation for excellence in teaching, research and extension,” said ISU President Wendy Wintersteen. “In partnership with our students, faculty, staff, and the agricultural community, he will advance the college’s mission of creating a better, more sustainable future for Iowa and the world.”
Robison holds a bachelor’s degree in forestry, master’s in silviculture and forest influences from the State University of New York-College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse; and a doctorate in entomology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He joined WVU in 2012 after serving as associate dean for research in the North Carolina State University College of Natural Resources.
“Everyone—whether you live down the street or halfway around the world—benefits from the work led by the faculty, staff and students of Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences,” Robison said. “It’s a great honor to be selected to lead the college, and I look forward to working with the talented team here to address the local and global challenges of agricultural production, food safety, security and nutrition, natural resources management and underlying life sciences.”
In making the announcement, Senior Vice President and Provost Jonathan Wickert thanked interim Dean Joe Colletti for his leadership of the college, and members of the search committee and campus community for their thoughtful consideration of candidates.