Dear CAHNR Alumni and Friends,
UConn is buzzing with excitement as another academic year, full of activity and opportunity, is underway. We recently celebrated UConn’s 17th President, Dr. Radenka Maric, at an inauguration event that offered inspirational and innovative thoughts on UConn’s past, present, and future, including a talk from CAHNR’s own Yangchao Luo, associate professor of nutritional sciences. Dr. Maric has served as UConn’s president since February 2022, and we’re excited for UConn’s bright future to continue under her leadership.
At the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), we have welcomed many new faces in recent years, and this fall was no different. Over the last four years, 85 faculty members have joined our College, with 27 this year alone. This sea change is a result of a wave of retirements. While this transition could have been daunting, we viewed it as an opportunity for growth, evolution, and innovation. With these new faces come new ideas and new energy – critical elements that will allow CAHNR to respond to the needs of our students and our communities. Our new colleagues, along with retirees who agreed to stay part-time with the College to provide continuity, have allowed us to not only maintain our existing level of excellence, but advance in a time when CAHNR has already seen significant growth in all of our mission areas. We are proud to share that while the College underwent these significant changes in staffing:
- Research funding grew to its highest level ever, with over $40 million in awards last year
- Academic program offerings in Storrs and at the regional campuses have been strengthened, while we are continuing to explore opportunities for growth
- UConn Extension provided valuable programming to all cities and towns in the state, including immediate support for challenges caused by extreme weather due to climate change
Together, with the collective strength of the CAHNR community, we continue to move the College forward. Thank you all for your continued support of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources and the Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture. I hope to see many of you on campus or at alumni events throughout the academic year.
Go Huskies.
Indrajeet Chaubey, Dean and Director