Amy Harder, PhD

Associate Dean and Associate Director for Extension

Dr. Amy Harder is the Associate Dean and Associate Director for Extension within the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR). She is responsible for the strategic leadership and administration of the UConn Extension system, which includes faculty and staff throughout the College’s nine departments. UConn Extension maintains a presence on at UConn Storrs and UConn Avery Point, and at eight county-based Extension centers throughout the state. Additionally, UConn Extension partners to provide programs at the Bartlett Arboretum in Stamford, the 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm in Bloomfield, the Hartford County 4-H Camp in Marlborough, the New London County Camp in North Franklin, and the Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp in Pomfret.

Before coming to UConn, Dr. Harder served as a professor and extension specialist within the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida and Director of the UF/IFAS Extension Program Development and Evaluation Center. She holds a PhD in agricultural education and communication from Texas A&M University and began her career as a 4-H agent with Colorado State University Extension.

Dr. Harder is one of the most cited U.S. researchers within her field, known for her research focused on the identification and development of competencies, job satisfaction and motivation, and the assessment of organizational needs and priorities within the context of domestic and international extension systems. She has published over 110 refereed journal articles. Currently, Dr. Harder serves as a Senior Editor for Advancements in Agricultural Development and is a former Executive Editor for the Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education. Additionally, she has served as the Chair or Co-Chair for 10 PhD and 22 MS advisees, and as committee member for an additional 38 PhD/MS students.

Dr. Harder’s contributions to extension and agricultural education have been recognized with several honors and awards, including the American Association for Agricultural Education’s Distinguished Researcher and Distinguished Extension Educator awards and the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education’s Outstanding Leadership and Outstanding Service Awards. Additionally, she is a Senior Fellow of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education.

ORCID: 0000-0002-7042-2028

Google Scholar Profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Uwi6YCoAAAAJ&hl=en

ResearchGate Profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Amy-Harder