Forum for Third Bumpers College Dean Candidate to Be Held Today, Oct. 2

Photo Submitted

Jeff Edwards

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

During the open forum, Edwards 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 third 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 Jeff Edwards

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 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.