University of Florida President W. Kent Fuchs announced today that J. Scott Angle will be joining the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) as vice president of agriculture and natural resources. His first day will be July 13, 2020.
“Dr. Angle will oversee UF’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences with more than 6,000 students, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, and the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station’s network of research centers,” said Fuchs. “He succeeds Jack Payne, who is retiring after 10 years in that position.”
Angle’s appointment is the result of a 10-month national search. “The public portion of the search concluded with three excellent, nationally-recognized finalists. In addition to numerous meetings, more than 300 members of the public participated and provided feedback for the search, both in Gainesville and at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred.”
Angle comes to UF/IFAS from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he serves as director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). He recently oversaw the successful transition of the institute’s operations from Washington, D.C., to Kansas City. “During this major effort, he was able to ensure mission continuity and service. UF/IFAS has been in transition mode during the coronavirus pandemic as well, pivoting quickly to remote learning and working, budgetary challenges and an industry in crisis,” said Fuchs.
“My experience at NIFA gave me the opportunity to see university agriculture operations across the nation, and UF/IFAS is simply one of, if not, the best. Agriculture is changing faster than I have ever witnessed in my career,” Angle said. “Many challenges lie ahead, not the least of which is COVID-19, and its long-term implications for agriculture. UF/IFAS, however, is up to the challenge and I am honored to be at the helm during such an important time for agriculture.”
Angle has spent more than 35 years in agricultural science and administration, including 25 years as a professor of soil science and administrator (director of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station and Maryland Cooperative Extension) at the University of Maryland. “His early work focused on the study of losses of nutrients from agro-ecosystems, and their impact on the Chesapeake Bay,” Fuchs said. “He also studied the impact of heavy metals on the food chain with the goal of protecting our food supply from these harmful elements.”
Angle served as dean and director of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia from 2005 to 2015. He is a fellow in the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America and a Fulbright Fellow, having worked at the Rothamsted (Research) Experimental Station in the United Kingdom. He also served as president and CEO of the International Fertilizer Development Center, an international public organization dedicated to helping the poorest farmers of the world produce more food.
“I want to thank Dr. Jack Payne for his dedicated leadership and the enduring contributions he has made to IFAS and the University of Florida,” concluded Fuchs. “We look forward to welcoming and supporting Dr. Angle in this critical role at our land-grant university. UF/IFAS and the university as a whole will benefit greatly from his extensive experience and thoughtful leadership.”
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