UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Deanna Behring, assistant dean for international programs and director of Ag Sciences Global in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been appointed to the National Science Foundation’s Advisory Committee for International Science and Engineering for a three-year term beginning Nov. 1.
The advisory committee provides advice and recommendations concerning support for research, education and related activities involving the U.S. science and engineering community working in a global context. It also assists with strategic efforts to promote a more effective National Science Foundation role in international science and engineering.
Blair Siegfried, associate dean for research and graduate education and director of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station, said Behring brings significant experience to her new appointment.
“Deanna’s unwavering commitment to advancing international education initiatives, nurturing research partnerships and fostering collaborative efforts has played a pivotal role in our preparation to tackle urgent global challenges such as food security, sustainable development, renewable energy and women’s equality,” he said. “She will bring the same dedication to her role on the NSF advisory board.”
Behring leads and coordinates the college's portfolio of international research and educational programs related to food security, often using her skills in speaking Chinese and French. She is credited with expanding the offerings, funding and enrollment for international programs in the college.
She has been a leader in bringing together a network of interdisciplinary scholars and researchers that initiate and respond to new opportunities for research, instruction and evidence-based outreach that address the intersections of women in agriculture and environmental sciences.
Also notable among her achievements is creating a dual-title graduate degree program in international agriculture and development. As a faculty affiliate in the Penn State School for International Affairs, she is a regular guest lecturer in courses that cover food security as an aspect of national security.
Before joining Penn State in 2000, she was assistant director for international affairs in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under former President Bill Clinton. She also worked on a global project for the U.S. Agency for International Development in upgrading primary healthcare to promote maternal and child health in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
In addition, she analyzed international political and economic issues for the Central Intelligence Agency and served as an international consultant to the undersecretary for technology at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Behring’s alma mater, Albion College, named her a Distinguished Alumna in 2020. Her other accolades include the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award from Penn State Global, the 2017 Achieving Women Award from the Penn State Commission for Women, the 2016 Distinguished Service Award from the Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development, the 2008 Diversity Award from national Epsilon Sigma Phi, the 2003 LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award from Penn State, and the Exceptional Performance Award from the CIA in 1994, 1993 and 1990.
Behring also chaired the International Agriculture Section of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.