A series of visits is planned with four candidates identified by a search committee seeking the recommended new hire of the University of Nebraska vice president and vice chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The four finalists are Cheng-i Wei, Cameron Hackney, Ken Grafton and Ronnie Green.

Beginning April 26 the candidates will visit with the search committee, greet the public at individual receptions, and meet with other constituencies associated with the institute. The campus visits conclude May 14.

The new IANR vice chancellor will replace John Owens, who will step down into faculty ranks June 30. Owens has been vice president and vice chancellor since January 2001.

Candidate bios and dates of interviews are:

Cheng-i Wei | April 26-28
Public seminar followed by a reception 3:30-5:30 p.m. April 26, East Union (room posted).

Wei is dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at University of Maryland, College Park; and director of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station and University of Maryland Extension. Previously, Wei was associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Human Environmental Sciences at Oklahoma State University (2002-05), Bruno professor and head of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Auburn University (1998-2002); and professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Florida (1981-98), including several acting and interim leadership appointments. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at Tunghai University in Taiwan, a master’s in medical microbiology at National Taiwan University and a doctorate in microbiology at the University of California, Davis.

Cameron Hackney | May 5-7
Public seminar followed by a reception 3:30-5:30 p.m. May 6, East Union (room posted).

Hackney is dean of the Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences and director of the West Virginia Experiment Station at West Virginia University, a position he has held since 2000. Previously he was department head and professor of food science and technology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1989-2000) and professor and superintendent of the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Experiment Station at Hampton, Va. (1985-1989). Prior to joining Virginia Tech he was an assistant professor at Louisiana State University and a research assistant at North Carolina State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science and a master’s in agricultural microbiology, both from West Virginia, and a doctorate in food science from North Carolina State.

Ken Grafton | May 10-12
Public seminar followed by a reception 3:30-5:30 p.m. May 10, East Union (room posted).

Grafton is dean of the College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources and director of the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at North Dakota State University in Fargo. Grafton has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Ohio State University, a master’s in plant breeding and genetics also from Ohio State, and a doctorate in plant breeding and genetics from the University of Missouri.

Ronnie Green | May 12-14
Public seminar followed by a reception 3:30-5:30 p.m. May 13, East Union (room posted).

Green lives in Sutton and is senior director of Global Technical Services at Pfizer Animal Health, Animal Genetics. Prior to that, he was national program leader in Food Animal Production at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (2003-07). He was co-owner and operator of DataGen Beef, a beef cattle consulting business; and a vice president of cattle operations and assistant vice president and director of genetic operations for Future Beef Operations (2000-02). From 1994-2000 he was professor of animal science at Colorado State University and assistant professor of animal science at Texas Tech University (1988-94). He was a graduate assistant from 1985-88 at the University of Nebraska. He earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, a master’s in animal science at Colorado State, and a doctorate in animal science at UNL.