Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences and Director of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station

The University of Minnesota has selected Shibu Jose as the next Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and Director of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES). He will assume his role in February 2027.

Over nearly three decades in academia — including nearly 12 years on the faculty at the University of Florida — Jose has led research centers, academic departments and statewide research programs. He currently serves as Associate Dean for Research in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri and Director of the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station. As director of Missouri's ag experiment station, Jose oversaw a statewide network of more than 14,000 acres of research farmland spanning row crops, specialty crops, livestock and forestry operations. He treated these facilities as living laboratories where researchers, students, agency partners and local producers worked side-by-side. He also spearheaded annual Mizzou Field Days across the state's research centers, bringing university teams directly onto working farms to share new technologies, crop and livestock research, and conservation practices with local producers and community members.

His commitment to student success focuses on hands-on, field-based learning and widening access to agricultural and environmental disciplines. He supported training programs and undergraduate research scholarships that enabled students to conduct field trials on public lands alongside working professionals. He is also a champion of pipeline initiatives with youth programs, high schools and community colleges to welcome students from rural, regional and underrepresented backgrounds into natural resource and agricultural careers.

An internationally recognized expert in agroforestry and natural resource sciences, Jose's work bridges interdisciplinary science with on-the-ground productivity. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Society of American Foresters, a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors and former chair of the USDA Forestry Research Advisory Council. He was also honored with the North Central Region's 2026 agInnovation Excellence in Leadership Award, honoring land-grant leaders across 12 Midwestern states who advance agricultural science, multistate collaboration, ag experiment station administration and infrastructure growth.

Jose received his bachelor’s degree from Kerala Agricultural University, India, and his master’s degree and doctorate degree from the College of Agriculture at Purdue University.

Anita Tien led this search with Andy Marshall, supported by Christina Errico.