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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Elaine Turner, senior associate dean of the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, has been appointed interim dean for the college, said Jack Payne, senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources.
The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is one of the largest colleges of its kind in the nation, serving nearly 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students in agricultural, natural resources, family, youth, consumer and biological sciences.
“Dr. Turner has done exemplary work in her role as senior associate dean of the college,” Payne said. “Her commitment to the mission of land-grant education, research and extension is unparalleled.”
Turner replaces Teri Balser, who has stepped down to pursue opportunities that will assist the university in transforming undergraduate education.
“We are very appreciative of Teri’s efforts as dean and look forward to working with her in her future endeavors with the university,” Payne said.
Turner has a long and proud association with land-grant education at the University of Florida and a number of other leading land-grant institutions, including faculty positions at UF and Clemson and student and professional experiences with Kansas State University, The Ohio State University, Purdue University and the University of Wisconsin.
As senior associate dean for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Turner led undergraduate and graduate academic programs, including admission, enrollment, curriculum and assessment. She earned her doctorate in nutrition from Purdue and started with UF as an assistant professor in 1996. She was promoted to professor in 2006.
Turner has a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and academic advising and has been recognized for her exceptional leadership in this area. She has been recognized by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences as both Undergraduate Teacher of the Year (2000-2001) and Undergraduate Advisor of the Year (2002-2003) and was named one of two UF honors professors of the year in 2003. In 2004, she received the National Award for Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences from USDA. Turner received the Morton Wolfson Faculty Award for Outstanding Service to University of Florida Students in 2009.
She currently holds a faculty appointment in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department. At UF, she has taught undergraduate courses in introductory and life cycle nutrition, and helped develop and teach a graduate course on dietary supplements. She developed distance learning courses for undergraduate and graduate students as well as for continuing education.
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By Brad Buck, 352-294-3303, bradbuck@ufl.edu
Source: Ruth Borger, 352-294-3329, rborger@ufl.edu
Cutline: Elaine Turner has been named interim dean of the University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
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