The University of Wisconsin-River Falls has chosen its new dean for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. Dr. Michael Orth will provide leadership to the school known to have maintained an outstanding reputation for excellence and service since 1912. He will take over the position on June 1, 2023, replacing longtime CAFES Dean Dale Gallenberg.
Orth has been a faculty member at Texas Tech University in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, where he also served as department chair for eight years. Prior to that, he was a faculty member at Michigan State University. Throughout his career he has been active as a researcher on livestock species and has been a dedicated service provider to his profession, including serving as an officer for the National Block & Bridle organization for 11 years with the last three as president.
"I am beyond excited to serve as the next dean of CAFES," Dr. Orth said. "The focus of the college on experiential learning, community outreach, and applied research align with the values I believe are critical for this generation of students."
Ranked as one of the top undergraduate agricultural programs in the nation, CAFES offers high demand programs like the ABET-accredited agricultural engineering and environmental engineering and is home to one of the largest dairy science programs in the nation. Other popular programs in the college span from agricultural education to conservation, horticulture and agricultural business.
Gallenberg retired as the CAFES dean on October 1 after 16 years on the job.
Categories: Wisconsin, Education