Forum for First Bumpers College Dean Candidate to Be Held Today, Sept. 25

Photo Submitted

Michael Evans

The first dean candidate for the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, Michael Evans, will hold an open forum for the campus community at 2:30 p.m. today, Monday, Sept. 25, in the John A. White Jr. Engineering Hall, room 209.

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

The campus community can attend in person or virtually via this Zoom link. Virtual attendees will be asked to register and must have a university email address.

A recording will be available within 24 hours following the presentation at this link for those who are unable to attend in person.

U of A faculty and staff can provide their feedback on the first dean candidate by completing an evaluation form. Faculty and staff must sign in with their university credentials to access the form. The deadline to submit feedback is 5 p.m. on Oct. 6.

About Michael Evans

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 or 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.