Ames, Iowa
November 24, 2008
 Gary
Munkvold, Iowa State University
associate professor of plant pathology and
Seed Science
Center Endowed Chair, has been appointed chair of the
Graduate Program in Seed Technology and Business (STB).
The program combines seed science and technology with essential
courses in business management into a single graduate program
that is not offered anywhere else in the world. It was approved
by the State of Iowa, Board of Regents in March 2006.
“The objective of the program is to educate seed professionals
to better address the challenges and opportunities in delivering
value to seed users,” said Manjit Misra, director of the Seed
Science Center. “It is designed to prepare them for management
roles and emphasizes the development of problem-solving and
analytic skills.”
Misra said Munkvold was the perfect choice for heading up the
program committee. “He has considerable expertise in both the
public and private sector. Because of that, we feel he will
offer great insights into curriculum development, planning and
evaluation.”
“The Seed Technology and Business Program offers a unique
opportunity for seed business professionals,” Munkvold said.
“Chairing the program will be a great chance for me to work with
students and maintain close ties to what I think is one of the
most dynamic industries around.”
“The program is designed to serve a diverse audience working in
different aspects of the seed industry,” said Munkvold. “We'll
pay close attention to how well we're meeting their needs so
that we can continue to make the curriculum better, improve
accessibility and maintain the relevance of the curriculum to
current issues in the seed business.”
The interdisciplinary degree is a cooperative effort between the
colleges of Business and Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa
State.
Mike Crum, associate dean of the College of Business, pointed
out that the STB curriculum allows professionals to get an
advanced degree while remaining fully engaged in their career.
“Students enroll in one or two courses per semester that are
highly relevant for their current and future professional
responsibilities. They can earn the degree in a little more than
two and a half years,” he said. “This is a great value for the
students.”
“Offering this curriculum reinforces our commitment, bringing
Iowa State University to the world for public good,” said David
Acker, associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences. “This exemplifies our land grant mission.”
For more information about the Graduate Program in Seed
Technology and Business visit
http://www.seedgrad.iastate.edu or contact Paul Christensen
at (515) 294-8745 or
seedgrad@iastate.edu. |
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