Maria Gallo named new dean of College of Tropical Ag and Human Resources

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Posted: Apr 23, 2012

Dr. Maria Gallo
Dr. Maria Gallo
Dr. Maria Gallo will lead the UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) as new dean effective July 16, 2012. Gallo is currently professor and chair of the Agronomy Department at the University of Florida in Gainesville. 
 
Gallo is co-founder and co-director of the University of Florida Scientific Thinking and Educational Partnership (STEP) Program, whose main objective is to establish a nexus for life science researchers and social scientists. STEP catalyzes and provides logistical support for the development of quality education and outreach components of grant proposals, enhancing faculty competitiveness in obtaining extramural funding. 
 
Gallo has led multi-departmental initiatives aimed at improving undergraduate teaching and graduate education, efforts supported by federal and private grants.
 
In Florida, Gallo leads a research program aimed at improving the performance and quality of tropical energy and agronomic crops. She is the founder of the world’s pioneering programs for sugarcane biotechnology. The enhancement of sugarcane as a bioenergy crop is currently the main thrust of her multi-disciplinary research team. 
 
In addition to being author of numerous publications, Gallo is immediate past president of the Crop Science Society of America and the American Peanut Research and Education Society. Both are prestigious societies in the field of agriculture.
 
Gallo obtained her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in agronomy, and her master’s degree and PhD from North Carolina State University in crop science and genetics, respectively.
 
Said Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw, “We were blessed and grateful to have received a very high caliber of candidates for this tremendously important position.  Dr. Gallo’s exemplary background and experience in academic leadership and in promoting and sustaining programs within higher education make her the best match to take the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to the next level.  I also want to thank Sylvia Yuen for her impressive contributions as interim dean since 2010.”
 
Added Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Reed Dasenbrock, “CTAHR is central to the land-grant mission of UH Mānoa, with programs and units on every island and in many different communities across the state.  It is therefore crucial to our outreach mission. We welcome Maria Gallo as the new dean who will carry out this important aspect of the university’s mission as well as lead the academic units in CTAHR here at the Mānoa campus.”
 
For more information about the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, see http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/site.