Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Jack Payne, Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources

I am pleased to announce that Elaine Turner, senior associate dean and interim dean for the University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, has been named dean of that college, effective April 11.

Dr. Turner has been interim dean of the school since early January. She succeeds Teri Balser.

A faculty member in UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences since 1996, Elaine taught at Clemson University from

1986 to 1996. She earned a bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Kansas State University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in nutrition from Purdue University.

Dr. Turner has been CALS’ Undergraduate Teacher of the Year (2000-2001), its Undergraduate Advisor of the Year (2002-2003) and was named one of two UF honors professors of the year in 2003.

In 2004, she received the USDA’s National Award for Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences, and in 2009, the Morton Wolfson Faculty Award for Outstanding Service to University of Florida Students.

She is part of the UF/IFAS food science and human nutrition faculty. Dr. Turner has taught at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, most often teaching undergraduate courses in introductory and life cycle nutrition.

Dr. Turner is a person who gets things done. She is organized, she is tireless, she never drops the ball and she has a career-long commitment to the highest-quality teaching.

Please join me in congratulating her on her new position.