MSU AgBioResearch Director George Smith stepping down in August to become dean at University of Arizona
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EmailSmith has been the AgBioResearch director since 2021.
EAST LANSING, Mich. — George Smith, who has served as director of Michigan State University AgBioResearch and senior associate dean for research in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) since 2021, is stepping down Aug. 1 to pursue a new opportunity at the University of Arizona.
Smith has been named Charles-Sander Dean of the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, continuing his dedication to the land-grant mission of research, teaching and outreach.
An announcement regarding interim AgBioResearch leadership, as well as details on the search for Smith's replacement, will follow in the coming weeks.
“It’s been an honor to serve as AgBioResearch director, which I often refer to as the best job on campus,” Smith said. “The primary goal has always been to deliver solutions to the various problems facing agriculture and natural resources. Having the chance to interact with our scientists, legislators, industries, growers and producers has let me know that, in many ways, we’ve succeeded. But the work is not done.
“Michigan agriculture is incredibly unique due to its deep-rooted partnerships that foster a culture of collaboration and innovation. While agriculture and natural resources face a multitude of challenges in the future, I have no doubt that AgBioResearch is well-positioned to help solve these problems.”
As AgBioResearch director, Smith has been responsible for the organization’s strategic direction, managing a $145 million budget, overseeing operations at 15 off-campus research stations and numerous on-campus facilities, and helping launch a series of new programs and infrastructure upgrades.
Legislative advocacy and strengthening agriculture and natural resources industry partnerships are hallmarks of his tenure, as he worked to secure funding that supports AgBioResearch’s more than 300 scientists.
“In Dr. Smith’s decades of service to MSU, he’s been an outstanding researcher, a skillful administrator and a powerful advocate for state and federal research funding,” Associate Provost and CANR Dean Matt Daum said. “He’s also been an exceptional mentor and colleague to many, myself included. The relationships that Dr. Smith has built and the research infrastructure that he’s developed will stand as enduring testaments to his good work at MSU. Spartans and Michigan stakeholders alike will miss Dr. Smith, but we celebrate this new chapter in his career. I know that his new colleagues will benefit from his many talents.”
Smith was instrumental in obtaining $30 million in state funding for the new Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center that opened in July 2025, which drastically increases the size of MSU’s dairy herd to nearly 700 cattle and introduces state-of-the-art technology. The facility provides researchers, MSU Extension educators and students with expanded opportunities to address the Michigan dairy industry’s greatest needs.
In addition to the new dairy, Smith helped procure $23 million in state funds to construct new and refurbished greenhouses that bolster Michigan’s plant agriculture industries and economic opportunities for the state’s growers.
AgBioResearch and MSU Extension’s signature programs have delivered substantial benefits to Michigan agriculture under Smith’s leadership, including Project GREEEN, the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture (M-AAA) and the Agricultural Resiliency Program.
Project GREEEN and M-AAA are partnerships among MSU, Michigan agriculture industry organizations, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). These initiatives are positioned to respond to emerging needs of the plant and animal agriculture industries as defined by the industries themselves, ensuring research findings are directly applicable to farm operations.
The Agricultural Resiliency Program, a partnership among MSU, the Michigan Plant Coalition and MDARD, was established in 2024 to address long-term issues in plant agriculture related to extreme weather and water.
To more accurately track and convey the impact of AgBioResearch’s efforts, Smith also led the expansion of the organization’s Research Evaluation and Data Analytics (REDA) team and a revamped communications approach.
The REDA unit supports AgBioResearch through integrated, data-driven and AI-enabled solutions that strengthen research performance, efficiency and impact.
Launched in August 2025, a stakeholder-driven communications initiative has gained considerable momentum by emphasizing the voices of those most affected by AgBioResearch’s work. These stories and a new AgBioResearch podcast have featured MSU scientists, legislators, Michigan agriculture leaders, industry representatives, growers and producers.
Before serving as AgBioResearch director, Smith was associate director from 2015 to 2021. As associate director, Smith oversaw animal agriculture programs and the AgBioResearch Office of Research Support, which provides assistance to CANR scientists applying for external grants.
Prior to research administration, Smith joined MSU as a faculty member in the Department of Animal Science in 1997, where he ran a successful research program focused on dairy cattle reproduction. In his research role, Smith published 143 journal articles and 17 book chapters while receiving continual funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institutes of Health.
Smith earned doctorate and master’s degrees in animal science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Idaho.
Michigan State University AgBioResearch scientists discover dynamic solutions for food systems and the environment. More than 300 MSU faculty conduct leading-edge research on a variety of topics, from health and agriculture to natural resources. Originally formed in 1888 as the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU AgBioResearch oversees numerous on-campus research facilities, as well as 15 outlying centers throughout Michigan. To learn more, visit agbioresearch.msu.edu.
