Appointment of New Dean of Cook College
February 25, 2005
Members of the Rutgers Community:
After a national search and consultation with many campus constituencies
and community stakeholders, I am very happy to announce that Dr. Robert
M. Goodman, professor of plant pathology and of environmental studies at
the University of Wisconsin, has accepted appointment as Executive Dean
of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Executive Director of the New
Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, and Dean of Cook College,
effective June 1, 2005.
An experienced and dedicated teacher, Dr. Goodman has a strong interest
in integrated approaches to curriculum design and to
de-compartmentalizing the student experience. At the University of
Wisconsin, where he chaired the undergraduate major in molecular biology
and is affiliated with the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental
Studies, he has been deeply involved in curriculum and honors program
design.
Dr. Goodman, an expert in soil microorganisms and plant disease, is a
fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His
research has appeared in premier journals such as Nature, Science,
Virology, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Robert Goodman holds a B.S. in plant sciences and a doctorate in plant
pathology from Cornell University. He completed a post-doctorate
fellowship in plant virology at the John Innes Institute in Norwich,
England. Dr. Goodman chairs the oversight committee of the McKnight
Foundation Collaborative Crop Research Program, which funds research to
improve food production and the nutritional content of crops important
to developing countries.
I am delighted that Dr. Goodman has agreed to bring his scientific
knowledge, his understanding of the land-grant mission, and his proven
commercial expertise to Cook College and to Rutgers. He brings highly
relevant experience and expertise to ensure that Cook College and the
New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station continue their success in
these efforts.
As we welcome Dean Goodman, I want to thank Dr. Keith R. Cooper, who has
served with distinction as acting dean since August 2003. His
leadership has been critical in enabling the university to engage in a
careful and thorough search process. For the success of that process I
also wish to thank the members of the search committee, ably chaired by
Professor Allan H. Conney, for their thoughtful efforts to present
Rutgers with outstanding candidates for the deanship.
Robert Goodman will be a fine leader at an important time for Cook
College and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, and I hope
you will join me in welcoming him to our state and to the Rutgers community.
View the press release regarding this appointment
Richard L. McCormick
President
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey