DAVID J. SAMMONS
Professor emeritus of Agronomy and
Former Dean of the International Center
University of Florida
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Agronomy, Crop Breeding (1978), University of Illinois
A.M. Biology (1972), Harvard University
B.S. Biology (1968), Tufts University
SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Dr. Sammons retired from the University of Florida (UF) as Dean of the International Center in December 2013 after nearly five years in the position. As Dean, he directed a staff of more than 40 people providing administrative leadership and support for international activities in the teaching, research, and outreach mission areas for the entire campus. Prior to this appointment, he held the position of Director of International Programs in the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences beginning in 2006. For a two-year period prior to his appointment at the University of Florida, Dr. Sammons was on assignment with USAID/Washington working as the Senior Advisor for University Relations and Agricultural Research, Training and Outreach in the Office of Agriculture at the Agency. Prior to that assignment he held the position of Associate Dean of the College of Agriculture and Director of the Office of International Programs in Agriculture at Purdue University from 1993 to 2004. Previous to moving to Purdue, Dr. Sammons was employed for 15 years (1978 to 1993) at the University of Maryland as Professor of Agronomy with teaching assignments in crop science, responsibilities in small grain (wheat, barley) breeding, and multiple administrative assignments with curriculum oversight and research administration. He has served as major professor or advisory committee member for more than 40 graduate students through his career at both the M.Sc. and Ph.D. levels.
Throughout his career, Dr. Sammons has participated in a wide range of international roles, first as a Peace Corps volunteer in elementary school science education in the Philippines (1968-70), and in recent years in short term consultant positions with USAID in Gambia, Egypt, and Sudan, as well as with current Feed the Future initiatives. He spent a sabbatical as a visiting professor and Fulbright Senior Fellow/Lecturer at Egerton University in Kenya in 1986/87. He has acquired experience internationally in more than 80 countries across wide areas of Africa, Europe, Southeast and East Asia, the Pacific Rim, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Dr. Sammons has served multiple terms on Advisory Boards for several of the USAID-funded CRSPs, including nearly 10 years with the Global Livestock CRSP. He also participated as a member of the team for the 2012 CRSP review for USAID which led to the development of the university-led Innovation Laboratories. Dr. Sammons recently led a USAID consultancy to review the “Nutritious and Safe Food” research portfolio of the Agency’s Feed the Future initiative. He currently is Vice Chair of the External Advisory Board of the new Livestock Systems Innovation Laboratory (LSIL), a USAID-funded initiative managed by the University of Florida. He also served on the Board of Trustees of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) based in Aleppo, Syria, for six years (2004-2009) and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center, and serves as Board Vice-Chair and Chair of the Board’s Executive Committee. Dr. Sammons is also a member of the Global Advisory Council of the McArthur Foundation-funded Masters in Sustainable Development Practice (MDP) program. In 2001, Dr. Sammons was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy. He is the author of over 170 scientific articles and seven books and/or book chapters.
PROFESSIONAL CHRONOLOGY
Since 2014 Retired, Professor emeritus of Agronomy, University of Florida
2009-13 Dean, International Center, University of Florida
2006-09 Director, International Programs, IFAS/University of Florida
2004-06 USAID/Office of Agriculture – Senior Advisor for University Relations
1993-04 Associate Dean and Director of International Programs in Agriculture, Purdue University
1992-93 Associate Dean (acting) of Research, College of Agriculture, University of Maryland
1990-93 Professor, Department of Agronomy, University of Maryland
1989-91 Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, University of Maryland
1988-89 Named Distinguished Scholar-Teacher at the University of Maryland
1986-87 Visiting Professor and Fulbright Senior Fellow, Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya
1983-90 Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy, University of Maryland
1981 Visiting Lecturer and Guest Fellow, Yale University
1978-83 Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy, University of Maryland
1975-78 Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, University of Illinois
1972-75 Teacher-Naturalist, National Audubon Society
1970-72 Teaching Assistant, Department of Biology, Harvard University
1968-70 Peace Corps Volunteer, Philippines
TEL: (352) 331-4485 EMAIL:
Mobile: (352) 284-3188
Address: 2005 NW 89th Drive
Gainesville, Florida 32611