Dr. Craig Beyrouty became dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) at the University of Maryland in November of 2015. In this role, he oversees the College of AGNR’s diverse on-campus departments and programs, serves as director of the college’s statewide non-formal educational outreach system, University of Maryland Extension, and as director of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station, which operates four research and education centers located throughout the state.

Dean Beyrouty has been involved in teaching, research and extension for more than 35 years. He joined the University of Maryland from Colorado State University, where he served as dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. Previously he held positions as professor and head of Agronomy at Purdue University and professor at the University of Arkansas. He has led and participated in international research, teaching and administrative activities all across the world, in places such as Rwanda, Tokyo, Madrid, and Moscow, among many more.

Dr. Beyrouty is a fellow of the Soil Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy. He has served as vice chair of the International Rice Root Working Group and president of the Plant Root Environment Working Group. In 1983, he received the George Scarseth Research Award.

Dr. Beyrouty earned his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in soil chemistry from Purdue University and a B.S. in soil science from Cal Poly State University. Prior to pursuing graduate studies, he mapped soils for the Soil Conservation Service and was a research scientist for Castle and Cooke Foods in Illinois.