People
Collegiate Academic Leadership
Brian Buhr
Dean
Director, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station
Professor, Department of Applied Economics
[email protected]
Brian Buhr is dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and director of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES). He is also a professor of applied economics. Buhr served as interim dean and director from August 2013 until June 2014. Prior to his interim dean appointment, Dean Buhr led the Division of Applied Economics and Agricultural Education at the University of Minnesota. He held the E. Fred Koller Chair in Agribusiness and Information Systems from 2004 – 2010. Dean Buhr has received the Outstanding Policy Contribution Award from the American Agricultural Economics Association, the University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award as well as the CFANS Distinguished Faculty award. He earned his Ph.D. in agricultural economics and his B.S. in animal science and agricultural business, both from Iowa State.
Julie Grossman
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs
Professor, Soil Agroecology and Organic Food Systems
[email protected]
Julie Grossman is Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs and a professor in the Department of Horticultural Science, where her research explores plant-soil-microbe relationships in organic agriculture. In her role as Associate Dean, she provides collaborative leadership for initiatives that support and enhance the undergraduate experience within CFANS, including admissions, recruitment, international programs, and development of innovative programs that promote student engagement and create a welcoming and inclusive undergraduate community. She has received the Outstanding Mentor Award from the Soil Science Society of America, the Organic Achievement Award from the Agronomy Society of America and has been a Fulbright Scholar in Mexico and Colombia. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, and was an NSF postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University and a faculty member at North Carolina State University before returning to the University of Minnesota in 2014.
Milena Saqui-Salces
Associate Dean for Research, Graduate Programs and Faculty Development
Professor, Department of Animal Science
[email protected]
Milena Saqui-Salces is the Associate Dean for Research, Graduate Programs and Faculty Development in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) at the University of Minnesota. The associate dean for research and graduate programs works with the dean to promote scholarly excellence by providing leadership and oversight to the academic research portfolio and graduate programs. For research, the associate dean oversees CFANS’ research portfolio and collaborative relationships across the U of M and with other research organizations. Interim Associate Dean Saqui-Salces provides leadership and strategic direction for CFANS’ 12 graduate education programs, and development opportunities for a diverse student body. She is an associate professor in the Department of Animal Science and has received several recognitions for her contributions to graduate and undergraduate education.
Joleen Hadrich
Associate Dean for the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station and CFANS Research & Outreach Centers
Professor, Department of Applied Economics
[email protected]
Joleen Hadrich is the Associate Dean for the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) and the Research and Outreach Centers (ROCs) at the University of Minnesota and deputy director of MAES. In this role she works with stakeholders across CFANS and the University to promote scholarly excellence by providing leadership and oversight for CFANS' 10 ROCs, academic research facilities, laboratories, greenhouses, barns, and other assets that support the academic research mission of the College. Joleen is professor in the Department of Applied Economics, she received her PhD and M.S. in agricultural economics from Michigan State University and her B.A. in management and Spanish from the University of Minnesota, Morris.
Michael Schmitt
Associate Dean of Extension
Professor, Department of Soil, Water and Climate
[email protected]
Michael Schmitt is associate dean in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS). He provides statewide leadership and vision for the College’s agricultural and natural resource Extension efforts. In this role, he acts as a liaison with the state’s agricultural commodity groups as well as with state agencies. Associate Dean Schmitt has been a professor in the Department of Soil, Water and Climate where he led an integrated research and education program in nutrient/nitrogen management. He earned a Ph.D. and an M.S. degree in agronomy from the University of Illinois and B.S. degrees in agronomy and soil science from the University of Minnesota.
