MSU AgBioResearch associate director named CANR interim associate dean for research
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EmailGeorge W. Smith, Michigan State University AgBioResearch associate director, has been named interim associate dean for research in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, effective Jan. 1.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – George W. Smith, Michigan State University (MSU) AgBioResearch associate director, has been named interim associate dean for research in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), effective Jan. 1.
An MSU faculty member since 1997, Smith is an animal science professor and co-director of the MSU Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program. In his new associate dean role, Smith replaces Douglas D. Buhler, who is now serving as interim dean of CANR.
“Dr. Smith has been an outstanding administrative asset for AgBioResearch since starting with us in mid-2014,” said Buhler, who also serves as MSU AgBioResearch director. “I look forward to continuing to work with him in this new capacity with the ultimate goal of continuing to advance CANR research.”
Smith’s primary area of research is on the fundamental mechanisms that control ovarian function and contribute to egg (oocyte) quality in cattle. His findings have been used as biological models for reproduction in economically important agricultural species, as well as in human medicine.
Since joining MSU AgBioResearch, Smith has led efforts to form a new initiative called the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture (M-AAA). M-AAA is working closely with the state’s animal agriculture partners to address issues of concerns across various areas including economics, disease management, sustainability and antibiotic resistance.
“There are many important research issues that need to be addressed, especially as the world’s food production is expected to have to double by 2050,” Smith said. “As the pioneer land grant university, MSU is poised to meet this challenge. It’s an honor to be able to play a part in all of it.”
Smith received his doctoral and master’s degrees, in animal science/reproductive physiology, from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1992 and 1996, respectively, and his bachelor’s in animal science from the University of Idaho in 1990. His research has been continuously funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1998.
To date, Smith has been the lead or co-lead on grants totaling over $9 million, published 114 peer-reviewed research articles and 18 invited reviews. His research group has also filed two patents. Smith has also served on grant review panels for the USDA, NIH, National Science Foundation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration competitive grant programs and on the editorial boards of several prominent reproductive biology and endocrinology journals.
