Associate Dean's Message

With research expenditures averaging over $115 million annually, the College of Agricultural Sciences is among the most research-active colleges at Penn State and among our peer institutions. Included in this broad array of research are approximately 140 Agricultural Experiment Station projects that address research questions important to the economic viability of our state, protection of natural resources, and welfare of our fellow citizens. Our researchers also contribute to both teaching and extension enterprises that are integral to the land grant mission of the College of Agricultural Sciences.

The research conducted by our faculty addresses both near- and long-term problems by investigating important fundamental basic research questions that ensure a continuum from discovery to delivery. We are also finding solutions to pressing issues that challenge food security and environmental stability on a global scale.

Among our research priorities are topics such as stress resiliency of both agricultural and natural landscapes, integrated health solutions for both humans and livestock, improved quality of our lakes, streams and groundwater, and advancing economic vitality and sustainability of communities. Some of our recent highlights include continued investigation of the underlying causes of pollinator decline, new tools involving robotics and machine learning to improve efficiency and to address labor shortages, international leadership in breeding new crop varieties adapted to a changing climate, the study of plant and animal microbiomes, developments in food safety and security, and pest management tools for organic and reduced-input agricultural production systems.

I invite you to explore our website to learn more about how research in the college is making an impact at state, regional, national, and international scales.

Blair Siegfried
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education
Director, Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station