College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Above right ↑ David Hogg was named as the College’s interim Dean in September 2005 and has served as Executive Associate Dean since 2002. He is an entomologist whose research focuses on the biology, ecology and management of insect pests of agronomic crops. Molly Jahn becomes the 12th Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in August 2006. She is a plant geneticist with interests in plant breeding, gene discovery and genetic mapping of agricultural plants.

A WORLD OF CHANGE

From the earliest days, when it consisted of little more than a handful of professors, a bit of cramped lab and office space and a small experimental farm, this College has been on a journey of never-ending growth and reinvention.

The College was created as an agent of change. Our original mission was to explore and expand the science of agriculture and help Wisconsin’s pioneer farmers apply the findings to improve productivity and profits. As farming and agricultural science became more sophisticated and Wisconsin grew and became more urban, the College evolved. We added new departments so faculty members could focus on more specialized areas of science. We continued our practical, problem-solving work but also began to do more of the exploratory research that keeps our scientists on the forefront of their disciplines. These open-ended investigations also yield knowledge that creates opportunities to improve health and nutrition, make our food system more productive and sustainable, protect the environment and build industries that create jobs.

Of course, change brings challenges. A key part of our mission is to help the people of Wisconsin deal with complex challenges brought on by forces like population growth, industrialization, technological change and globalization. Our scientists strive to understand these changes and anticipate the issues and opportunities they will present.

The best way to prepare for change is to prepare those who will face it in the future. That is why we strive not only to train our students in emerging areas of science, but also to equip them with personal skills that foster critical thinking, leadership, effective communication and lifelong learning — traits that will serve them throughout a lifetime of change.

Change is very much on our minds these days. As evidenced by the construction cranes on our campus skyline, we are in the midst of a major effort to add new research and teaching facilities that will allow us to remain on the frontiers of our disciplines. But the biggest changes aren’t in steel and concrete. We are also bringing in a new generation of faculty members. More than a third of our professors have been hired in the past seven years. These young scientists bring new expertise, energy and a fresh outlook. They will set the College’s course for decades to come. It’s going to be quite a journey.

The stories in this report offer glimpses of our changing College. Please take a look, and let us know what you think.

Molly M. Jahn
Dean, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

David Hogg
Interim Dean, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences