Dr. Jerome F. Baker will serve as the Dean of the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College beginning July 1, according to an announcement this week by ABAC President David Bridges.

“Jerry not only brings many academic credentials to his new position of Dean, but he also brings a wealth of executive leadership experience,” said Bridges. “We anticipate continued growth and enhanced reputation of the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources under his leadership.”

Baker has been serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Sigma Xi: the Scientific Research Society, a very prestigious international honor society for scientists and engineers. Founded in 1886, Sigma Xi has more than 538,000 members in 524 chapters worldwide. Baker has also served as publisher of the Sigma Xi American Scientist Magazine, which is recognized by scientists and engineers worldwide as a premier publication of its type.

Baker said he looks forward to returning to Tifton. His previous academic experience included 13 years as a faculty member in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia. From 1990-2003, he served as an Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Research and Extension Location Leader for Animal and Dairy Science at the UGA Tifton Campus.

“The visionary leadership of ABAC has laid the foundation for significant growth,” Baker said. “I am excited about the opportunity to join the exceptional faculty and staff of ABAC which gives me the chance to serve the students, community and diverse stakeholders of ABAC programs.”

Prior to his position at Sigma Xi, Baker served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of Animal Science Societies, which is an association management company for 13 professional societies and publishes nine scientific journals. His tenure at the Federation followed a period of time when he served as the Executive Director for the American Society of Animal Science.

Baker earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Animal Breeding from Texas A&M University, and a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Morningside College. He is married to the former Kathy Walker of Ty Ty. Baker replaces Dr. Tim Marshall, who served as Dean for eight years.