Douglas Buhler, senior associate dean for research in MSU’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, will be recommended to the MSU Board of Trustees as interim dean designate of CANR from Dec. 10-31, and then interim dean, effective Jan. 1, 2016.
Buhler also serves as assistant vice president for Research and Graduate Studies and director of MSU AgBioResearch, positions he will retain during his service as interim dean.
Buhler will succeed Fred Poston, who also has served as MSU’s vice president for finance and operations and special adviser to the president, who is retiring on Dec. 31.
“The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources is making steady progress in its search for its next dean, with candidates expected on campus within the next few weeks,” said MSU Provost June Pierce Youatt. “I would like to thank Dr. Buhler for graciously agreeing to serve until the next dean is hired and to thank Dean Poston for his many years of dedicated service to CANR and the university.”
Buhler came to MSU in 2000 and spent five years as professor and chairperson of the crop and soil sciences department, now called plant, soil and microbial sciences. He has served as CANR associate dean for research, as well as associate director of MSU AgBioResearch. Buhler served as CANR interim dean from 2011 to 2013.
He also is director of Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs). Before coming to MSU, Buhler conducted research for the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service. Prior to that he was on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin.
Buhler's research and outreach activities focus on the ecology of weedy plant species in agricultural systems. His research results are being used to develop and implement improved weed management systems and have resulted in more than 330 publications.
Buhler received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Nebraska.