An expert in soil ecology and biogeochemistry at the University of Hawaii-Manoa has been named chair of the Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences (SWES) at the University of Florida.
Susan Crow, a professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management at UH-Manoa, will lead SWES.
Rob Gilbert, dean for research and executive director for academic affairs at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) said Crow’s ability to garner grant funding made a great impression.
“Crow impressed us with her record of leading efforts to parlay $80,000 in internal University of Hawaii seed funding into more than $40 million in multiple U.S. Department of Agriculture grants,” Gilbert said. “She has also distinguished herself with the way she has incorporated producer voices and other stakeholder input into a research and Extension agenda.”
As chair, Crow will lead 43 faculty who work in Gainesville and at 11 research locations across Florida.
“Her background positions her well to communicate effectively with customers, funders such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and water quality regulators,” Gilbert said. “This background is a good fit for a role leading a department with a broad spectrum of influence across all of UF/IFAS.”
She brings excellent leadership experience to the position at UF/IFAS by working in leadership roles, such as the graduate chair at UH-Manoa.
Also, while serving as principal investigator for the $40 million in grants, Crow earned a certificate in leadership and management from the Harvard Business School Online in 2024.
“Each step of the application and interview process made me increasingly excited for the possibility to lead this unit,” Crow said.
After receiving a Ph.D. in ecology from Oregon State University and working as a researcher at Purdue University, Queen’s University in Belfast and at UH-Manoa, Crow worked as an assistant professor at UH-Manoa in 2012.
She rose through the ranks to reach professor in 2023. Along the way, she has published more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles.
Among her many accomplishments at UH-Manoa, Crow’s research team worked on the development of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) for rapid analysis of soil health. Such tools could play an important role in nutrient management and other on-farm decisions.
Crow already sees numerous strengths in SWES.
“The department has incredible faculty, staff and students who are committed to their work as well as to the success of the unit,” she said. “The technical strengths of SWES have the potential to advance the integration of soil, water and ecosystem sciences in resiliency planning, land stewardship and applied environmental solutions through research, teaching and Extension throughout the state and internationally.”
Among her first priorities will be listening sessions with faculty, staff and students in Gainesville and at research and education centers around Florida.
“At each of these sites, SWES reaches a distinct set of stakeholders,” Crow said. “As the people who are closest to the various communities, I hope to meet not only our staff, but also their collaborators and stakeholders, whose needs are being addressed in each place through the work of SWES and UF/IFAS team members. Additionally, I want to meet – and possibly conduct a survey – with stakeholders who are underrepresented by current SWES research and instruction and create new connections.”
“I want to build on strong relationships with the state, competing for federal funds and refining curriculum to train the future workforce to be AI-ready,” Crow said. “I also hope to improve networks for access to a range of funders.”
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ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
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