Letter from the Department Head
Dr. A. Rick Bennett
Department Head
From the Desk of Rick Bennett:
This year will be remembered as a year of change for the Department of Plant Pathology. I've been graciously welcomed into the Plant Pathology family as the new Department Head succeeding Sung Lim who held the position for 17 years until he retired last August. I first want to thank Dr. Lim for his years of service to the Department and for elevating it into a world-class pathology department. After Dr. Lim's retirement, the Department was placed in the capable hands of Interim Department Head, Dr. Rick Cartwright who not only coped with the dizzying pace of issues facing our Department but also maintained the integrity established by Dr. Lim. My thanks go to Rick for his perspective on key issues I will address in the coming months as in-coming Department Head and for his careful and thoughtful succession planning.
As spring emerges and planting season is upon us, I find myself in unfamiliar surroundings in Northwest Arkansas. After 21 years with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), near Washington, D.C., this is a welcome change. I look forward to visiting the research and extension centers statewide, and getting to know our stakeholders, comodity groups and members of our state agencies. Arkansas has a rich tradition in agriculture and I welcome the opportunity to attend commodity board meetings, Plant Board meetings, listening sessions, conferences, and county agent sessions.
We have many challenges and opportunities ahead. As the economic recession continues to cast doubt on our state budget and as Federal funding for research becomes less clear, our Department must position ourselves to cope with the increasingly complex challenges ahead. Yet, I believe our Department is positioned well thanks to the support of the Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College and we will be ready to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. We're in a period for major scientific breakthroughs in plant pathology and I believe we have a great blend of early career and senior faculty with new skills in applied and basic sciences to capitalize on non-traditional sources of funding and increase our position at the state level for local commodity support. Opportunities are available to build a diverse, leading-edge program in interdisciplinary fields of plant pathology.
Our Centennial year as a plant pathology department is here and we are one of the few stand-alone pathology departments in the country. This year we will celebrate our achievements in plant pathology and recognize those who have contributed. In the next newsletter, we'll outline some ideas for special consideration to recognize our heritage. We welcome your ideas as well.
On a personal note, I want to thank the faculty and staff of the Department and the Division Administration for the welcome and kindness you've extended to my wife, Melissa, and me during our visits to Fayetteville. While Melissa remains near D.C. with our three children to finish the school year, I've been getting my feet on the ground and preparing for an exciting career at the U of A. Arkansas is a great state and Fayetteville a wonderful town to raise our young family. We're looking forward to knowing you as friends and colleagues as the Department of Plant Pathology starts our second century.