FOCUS ON FACULTY & STAFF:
We'd like to welcome Dr. Mark Siemens , Associate Specialist, Specialty Crops Mechanized Engineering Faculty in Ag & Biosystems Engineering, stationed at the Yuma Agricultural Center, Valley Station. Mark started on February 4, and is an alum of the UA. Welcome back !
NEW DIRECTOR OF WESTERN RURAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER:
Utah State University Extension has named Don Albrecht as director for the Western Rural Development Center (WRDC). The WRDC links the research and Extension capacity of the regions land-grant universities with local decision-makers to address a wide range of rural development issues throughout the western United States. Albrecht was previously the associate department head in the department of recreation, park and tourism sciences, and program leader of the Rural Sociology and Community Studies Program at Texas A&M University where his career spanned 24 years. Noelle Cockett, vice president for Extension and agriculture at USU, and I co-chaired the search committee. Noelle said Albrechts background in rural sociology and his awareness of issues facing rural communities in the western United States will allow the WRDC to continue providing timely and relevant programs.