On Monday, April 24, the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) named Iowa State University’s Manjit Misra as its new director, according to a release. He will assume his new role on May 8 with a swearing-in ceremony in Washington, D.C.
“Dr. Misra is an esteemed scientist and educator whose devotion to studying and sharing his knowledge of seeds with the world will benefit society and inspire generations to come,” said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. “I am confident he will bring strong leadership and expertise to USDA as we continue our work to invest in and grow initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and food systems.”
As he takes on this new position with NIFA, Misra will retire from Iowa State University after a 45-year career. During his career, he’s spent time as a faculty member in agricultural and biosystems engineering, as well as 32 years as director of the Iowa State University Seed Science Center.
“NIFA’s role is to catalyze transformative discoveries, education and engagement so that we are able to address our most pressing agricultural challenges — food security, climate variability and change, water resources, sustainable bioenergy, childhood obesity prevention and food safety,” Misra said. “I am excited and, at the same time, humbled by the opportunity to take on these challenges at the national level and to bring the benefits of transformational research to all agriculture, all farmers and consumers.”
“Dr. Manjit Misra is a visionary who has dedicated his career toward the goal of seeding a food-secure future,” said Daniel J. Robison, holder of the endowed dean’s chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State. “USDA’s selection of Dr. Misra as its next NIFA director represents an incredible opportunity for Dr. Misra to make a difference nationally and is a testament to his unparalleled service and skills as a leader, researcher, educator and communicator. We will miss Manjit, but we look forward to working with him in this new role, for which he is uniquely qualified.”
The Seed Science Center said an interim director will be named soon, with a search for a new director to follow.
