Three candidates for the dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences — Michael Evans, Michael Looper and Jeff Edwards — will hold open forums on Sept. 25, Sept. 27 and Oct. 2, respectively. Each open forum will be held at 2:30 p.m. in the John A. White Jr. Engineering Hall, room 209.

During each open forum, one of the three candidates will focus on the theme "Strengths and Opportunities at the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences" and will also include thoughts and commentary on trends in agriculture, food and life sciences education and research.

The campus community will be able to attend the presentations in person or virtually. In-person seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. A recording after each open forum will also be available for those unable to attend. More information on how to attend virtually or view the recorded presentation will be provided in Arkansas News on the day of each presentation.

About Michael Evans (Presenting Sept. 25)

Michael Evans will present at an open forum on Sept. 25. Since 2018, Evans has served as director of the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech, where he holds the rank of full professor.

Evans' research focuses on controlled environment agriculture and the production of crops, such as lettuce, herbs, medicinal plants and strawberries in soilless and hydroponic systems in greenhouses, factories and vertical farms.

He has served as a faculty member at the University of Florida, Iowa State University and the U of A. He joined the U of A as an associate professor in the Department of Horticulture in 2001 and attained the rank of full professor in 2009. Evans served as interim associate dean of Bumpers College from 2016 to 2018.

Evans holds a bachelor's degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech and an M.S. and Ph.D. in horticulture from the University of Minnesota. For more information on Evans, view his curriculum vitae.

About Michael Looper (Presenting Sept. 27)

Michael Looper will present at an open forum on Sept. 27. Since 2011, Looper has served as head of the Department of Animal Science at the U of A, where he holds the rank of full professor.

Looper's research focuses on the growth and development, physiology and nutrition of cattle.

Before accepting his current role at the U of A, Looper spent nearly a decade serving as a research animal scientist for the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. During his time with the USDA, Looper conducted research, assembled and led multidisciplinary research teams representing various universities and government agencies. He also served as an adjunct professor at both the U of A and the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. Prior to that, Looper spent three years at New Mexico State University, where he served as an assistant professor and extension dairy specialist.

Looper holds bachelor's and master's degrees in animal science from the U of A and a Ph.D. in reproductive physiology/animal breeding from Oklahoma State University. For more information on Looper, view his curriculum vitae.

About Jeff Edwards (Presenting Oct. 2)

Jeff Edwards will present at an open forum on Oct. 2. Since 2022, Edwards has served as head of the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences at the U of A, where he holds the rank of full professor.

Edwards' areas of research include wheat variety testing, sustainable agricultural production systems, optimal fertilization strategies for small grains and development of robust small grains production systems that are adaptable to changing climatic and environmental conditions.

Before accepting his current role at the U of A, Edwards spent 18 years at Oklahoma State University. He started as an assistant professor and small grains extension specialist in 2004 and attained the rank of full professor in 2012. From 2015 to 2022, he served as head of the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at OSU.

Edwards holds a bachelor's degree in agriculture from Western Kentucky University and two advanced degrees from the U of A: an M.S. in agronomy and a Ph.D. in crop, soil and environmental science. For more information on Edwards, view his curriculum vitae.

The dean search for Bumpers College is chaired by Vice Chancellor for Economic Development Mike Malone.

"As chair of the dean search committee for Bumpers College, I am excited to see the high caliber and quality of all the candidates who applied," Malone said. "The search committee and I are pleased to present these three finalists for consideration, and I'm confident that any one of these candidates would be an excellent choice for the position given their extensive experience at the U of A and in agriculture education and research."

For more information on the dean candidates and the search process, please visit the Bumpers College dean search website.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.