Deanna M. Behring

Deanna Behring is responsible for leading and coordinating the college's growing portfolio of international research and educational programs. She joined the college in 2000 after more than a decade of experience in Washington, D.C., including an appointment to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under the Clinton administration as the assistant director for international affairs. Dr. Behring has also worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of Commerce, as well as on projects for the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Agency for International Development. She speaks Chinese and French.

Research Interests

International Development, Multicultural Communications, Group Creativity

Courses Taught

International Agriculture 100

International Agriculture 490

International Agriculture and Development 820

Awards and Honors

Achieving Women Award, The Pennsylvania State University Commission for Women (2017)

Distinguished Service Award, Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development (2016)

Spirit of Internationalization Award (2010)

Diversity Award, National Epsilon Sigma Phi (2008)

Mary W. Wells Memorial Diversity Award, Eastern Region Winner, National Extension Association Family and Consumer Sciences (2007)

Diversity Award, Alpha Omicron Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi (2007)

LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award, Penn State (2003)

Performance Award, Department of Commerce (2000)

Certificate of Recognition, OSTP (1999)

Exceptional Performance Award, CIA (1994, 1993, 1990)

Selected Publications

“The Richer the Better? Effects of Modality on Intercultural Communication," in the International Journal of Communication, Vol. 8 (2014): 2733–54.

“Impact of a Russian-American Collaborative Education Program:  A Case Study," in the International Journal of Extension Education, Vol. 6 (2010): 23–33. 

“Think Again: Reinventing Perceptions of Agriculture," in Proceedings of the 6th Global Consortium of Higher Education and Research for Agriculture (2009).

“The Polish American Extension Project: An Evaluation of the Long-Term Impacts on the Youth Development and Economic Development Program Components," in Proceedings of the 21st Annual Conference, Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, San Antonio, TX (2005).

“Distance Education Programs for Rural Development in Latin America," with Steve Smith and A. E. Luloff for the World Forum on Information Society (2002).

“International Agriculture:  A Global Barn Raising," in Global Interdependence in Agriculture:  A User's Guide for Effective Communication," produced by the Aspen Institute (2002).