Following a national search, Dr. Jia Hu has been named the new Associate Dean of Academic Programs in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University, effective July 1.
Dr. Jia (pronounced ‘Jah’) Hu currently serves as the Assistant Dean for Graduate Education in the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences (CALES). She earned her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado and studied as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Center for Atmospheric Research at the University of Sydney in Australia.
Early in her career, she held faculty positions at Montana State University and the University of Arizona, where she secured nearly $10 million in funding for research and graduate student mentorship. She has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers in ecohydrology, plant physiological ecology, and terrestrial biogeochemistry, and serves as the Director of the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center.
At the University of Arizona, Dr. Hu took on increasingly consequential leadership roles to serve needs of the School of Natural Resources & the Environment (SNRE) and CALES. As the Associate Director for Graduate Studies in SNRE she worked to expand the degree program, created the assessment for the graduate program, and collaborated with colleagues in the School's Strategic Planning Committee to position the research and education expertise at the forefront of applied environmental and climate change sciences.
In her current role, Dr. Hu works to ensure that graduate students receive a rigorous and innovative curriculum, are guaranteed financially competitive graduate funding for their entire graduate program, and are provided ample professional development opportunities to prepare for careers in academia, industry, state and federal agencies, and non-profit organizations.
"Dr. Hu's background in research, education, and leadership will be instrumental as the college continues to promote academic opportunity," said Dr. Staci Simonich, Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at OSU. "Her proven leadership and dedication to student success make her an exceptional addition, poised to address contemporary challenges in education."
Special thanks go to Dr. Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez for his service as the previous Associate Dean of Academic Programs. His contributions to the college have been instrumental for student development and created a strong foundation that Dr. Hu will continue to build upon in her leadership.