November 6, 2008

Finalists named for dean of Purdue Agriculture

The candidates are Jay Akridge of Purdue, John Floros of Penn State University and Ramesh Kanwar of Iowa State University. All three will participate in two-day interviews, complete with public seminars, to be held in December.

The finalists were selected by a committee consisting of faculty and staff led by Willie Reed, dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine.

"I'm pleased with the caliber of these individuals, all of whom are leaders in their respective areas," Reed said. "The candidates were picked from a talented field of applicants."

Each hour-long public seminar will be in the Pfendler Hall Deans Auditorium. People from around the state also can view the seminars via Internet streaming. Vitas and streaming links are available on the Web at https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/dean_search. Information about the candidates, along with their seminar dates and times, follow:

* Akridge is interim dean of agriculture at Purdue and the James and Lois Ackerman Professor of Agricultural Economics. He also is director of the Purdue-Kelley masters in business administration program in food and agricultural business. His seminar will be Dec. 9 at 9 a.m.

* Floros is professor and head of the Department of Food Science at Penn State. His seminar will be Dec. 11 at 9 a.m.

* Kanwar is professor and chair of the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State. His seminar will be Dec. 15 at 9 a.m.

"The finalists all are accomplished and reflect the qualities desired to lead Purdue Agriculture into the future," said Provost Randy Woodson, who previously served as dean of Purdue Agriculture. “I appreciate the search committee's efforts to identify outstanding candidates from across the country for this position."

The dean of Purdue Agriculture oversees 13 academic and administrative departments with a student enrollment of more than 2,500 students. In addition, Purdue Agriculture is home to Purdue Extension with offices in all 92 Indiana counties, International Programs in Agriculture and state services such as the Office of Indiana State Chemist and the Indiana Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory.

Writer: Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722, forbes@purdue.edu

Sources: Willie Reed, (765) 494-7608, wreed@purdue.edu

Randy Woodson, (765) 494-9709, woodson@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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