Shibu Jose, director of the School of Natural Resources (SNR) and superintendent of the Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center (HARC) in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), has been named the interim associate dean in the office of research and extension in CAFNR. Jose will also serve as the interim director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, effective January 1, 2019.
Jose joined MU in 2009 as the H.E. Garrett Endowed Chair Professor in SNR and the Director of The Center for Agroforestry. He became the director of SNR in 2017. Jose has an extensive history of conducting in-depth collaborative research, and advising graduate students, post-docs and visiting scientists.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Jose in this incredibly important role in CAFNR,” said Christopher Daubert, CAFNR vice chancellor and dean. “His record of research and leadership accomplishments speaks for itself. He has provided strong leadership to the research mission of SNR and CAFNR during his tenure.”
Jose has been awarded approximately $46 million in research contracts and grants, including $13 million as a principal investigator. As a broadly trained ecologist, he has worked in agroecosystems, and agroforestry and forestry systems in the US and overseas. He has led large interdisciplinary projects involving scientists, producers, and other stakeholders from all sub-disciplines of agriculture and natural resources during his 21-year academic career.
Jose has advised 50 graduate students, 21 visiting scholars and 11 post-docs. He has published 132 journal articles, contributed to 39 book chapters, and edited eight books. Jose has more than 6,300 citations to his credit.
“I am humbled and honored and at the same time excited to move into this key leadership role,” Jose said. “CAFNR is home to terrific researchers who are finding innovative solutions to complex problems in agriculture, food and natural resources every day. And, this is a great opportunity to work closely with each and every one of them and the extensive network of farms, ranches and centers in communities all around the state.”
Jose has earned numerous honors and awards, including: Fulbright Fellowship of the U.S. Department of State (2009); the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Scientific Achievement Award (2014); Barrington Moore Memorial Award for Forest Biology Research by the Society of American Foresters (2014); Distinguished Alumni Award, College of Agriculture, Purdue University (2018); and Inaugural Partner in Advancement Leadership Award, University of Missouri (2018).
He currently serves as Chair of the Forestry Research Advisory Council that advises the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.
Jose earned his bachelor’s degree from Kerala Agricultural University in India. He earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the College of Agriculture at Purdue University.