Posted: 10.28.2010
The University of Wisconsin-Madison announced on Thursday that Molly Jahn will be stepping down effective January 1, 2011 - as the Dean of the College of Ag and Life Sciences. (NOTE: Industry Reaction on additional farm news tabs)
In a text message exchange with Pam Jahnke, Jahn (pictured above with Jahnke in her USDA office this summer) said that all the details were included in the press release from Chancellor Biddy Martin and Provost Paul DeLuca Jr.
Jahn will be reconnecting with her research roots - rejoining faculty in the departments of agronomy and genetics on January 2nd, and also service half time as a special adviser to the provost and chancellor for "sustainability sciences". That's a post she's expected to fill until July 31st. After that she'll become a full-time faculty member.
Jahn has become very well know for her plant genetics research and breeding new vegetable varieties for use around the world. She's also done extensive work on gene discovery in crop plants like peppers and cucumbers with a focus on economically important plant traits.
Jahn succeeded Elton Aberle, who retired in September 2005, and was the first woman to lead UW-Madison's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. This fall she just returned to campus from a post at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington where she was the deputy and acting undersecretary of research, education and economics for the U.S.D.A..
"I was recruited to lead the college toward a 21st century vision for excellence and impact in agricultural and life sciences, and in the past four years, we have seen tremendous achievement toward that goal," says Jahn. "I'm very proud to have been a part of this chapter in the college's illustrious history, and I feel that the college is in an outstanding position as I take on a new challenge in my career.
"I am enthusiastic about the opportunity now to focus on contributing to the university's broader efforts in sustainability sciences. This work will build on our accomplishments in CALS, my scholarly interests and my recent experience in federal government, and I look forward to helping our university leadership in this critical area."
During Jahn's time as dean:
-the college's structural deficit was erased.
-the college's extramural funding increased by 71 percent (from $80.7 million in 2006-07 to $138.2 million in 2009-10).
-she led the effort to secure a $130 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to establish the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center on campus.
-she oversaw several key building projects, including construction of a new dairy facility at CALS' Arlington Research Station, a new addition to the Biochemistry Building, the remodeling of Babcock Hall and the opening of the Microbial Sciences Building, and recently led planning of the soon-to-be-constructed Wisconsin Energy Institute.
-the college's degree structure was revised, consolidating multiple pre-existing degree paths into one bachelor of science degree. Jahn was instrumental in supporting a campus-level initiative to add a major in environmental sciences and stronger intercollege partnerships in the biology curriculum.
-She oversaw the hiring of 52 CALS faculty members.
-and she created the Wisconsin Rural Youth Scholarship Fund to ease the financial burden for rural students to enroll in UW-Madison. To date, more than $100,000 in need-based aid has been raised as part of this fund. In addition, more than $1.5 million has been raised to support graduate study in fields such as plant breeding and genetics.
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