Benjamin Z. Houlton has been reappointed as Ronald P. Lynch dean of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), the university announced Oct. 24. The Cornell Board of Trustees Executive Committee approved the new five-year term, beginning July 1, 2025, following a vote earlier this month. Houlton, who began his tenure as dean in October 2020, is also a professor in the departments of ecology, evolutionary biology and global development.

“Ben’s strategic vision has been essential to meeting today’s unique challenges, both for people and the planet,” said Acting Vice President John Siliciano. “His leadership expanded Cornell’s mission as a land-grant university, advancing research in New York and around the world, while improving funding, faculty recruitment and modernizing undergraduate education. »

Leading Cornell’s second-largest college

CALS is a hub of research and education, with more than 4,000 undergraduates, 950 graduate students and 1,300 core staff, supported by 631 faculty members across 16 departments and two schools . Its annual budget exceeds $500 million and it operates globally in 61 countries, reflecting its mission to solve critical problems through local and international initiatives.

Houlton expressed his gratitude for this reappointment and reaffirmed his commitment to the mission of CALS. “I am committed to ensuring that CALS acts as a collaborative hub for Cornell initiatives, extending our impact in New York and around the world to innovate practical solutions for the major challenges of our time,” he said. he declared.

Future achievements and initiatives

During his first term, Houlton led several key initiatives, including the launch of CALS Roadmap to 2050a strategic vision involving more than 700 professors, employees, students and stakeholders. The roadmap emphasizes “moon thinking” to inspire bold ideas that address global problems, focusing on reshaping agri-food systems, life sciences, synthetic biology and climate solutions.

Among its accomplishments, CALS has reached historic levels of faculty hiring, adding 71 new tenure-track faculty since 2021, and has 32 active searches to counter retirements. Research spending also hit a record $275 million in fiscal year 2023, and the college launched the Office of Research and Innovation to promote intellectual property, patents and technology development. startups.

Fundraising efforts have seen considerable success, with the “Do the Greater Good” campaign raising $178 million since 2021, doubling annual giving rates and increasing endowed professorships to 10% of faculty. Houlton aims to increase this figure to 20% in the future.

Houlton also co-chairs Project 2030, a Cornell climate initiative that has raised more than $200 million for collaborative climate solutions. The project aims to integrate the efforts of Cornell’s colleges and schools to take effective and concrete climate action.

Looking ahead, a new undergraduate program is planned to launch in 2025, emphasizing practical engagement, entrepreneurship and AI applications. Students will take courses on agriculture, nutrition and sustainability and focus on thinking critically around evidence and diverse viewpoints. Additionally, CALS faculty are developing a new school to connect global sustainable development with natural resources and environmental studies.

Addressing global challenges with innovative solutions

Houlton believes that transforming the agri-food system is key to tackling climate change, with emerging technologies playing a crucial role in reducing emissions and improving food security. He highlights the need for resilient strategies to adapt to extreme weather conditions and preserve biodiversity, which he sees as the foundation of future bio-based innovations.

Houlton’s research includes building partnerships with farmers, industry and policymakers to develop solutions for removing carbon dioxide while increasing agricultural productivity. His current projects explore the use of rock dust to improve soil health and sequester carbon, as well as AI-based predictive models to support sustainable carbon practices.

Houlton’s extensive academic background includes degrees in water chemistry, environmental engineering and ecology from the University of Wisconsin, Syracuse University and Princeton University. Before joining Cornell, he was a faculty member at the University of California, Davis. His work has earned him numerous honors, including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Young Investigator Award and the NSF-CAREER Award.

With innovative leadership and ambitious plans for the future, Houlton is ready to guide CALS in solving the complex challenges facing agriculture and life sciences in the 21st century.

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