J. Alex Thomasson (Photo submitted)
STARKVILLE, Miss — The head of the Mississippi State Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering is the 2022-23 elected president of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology.
J. Alex Thomasson will officially assume his responsibilities as president-elect at the end of the autumn CAST board meeting in October. In 2023-2024, he will become the organization’s 51st president, a single honor and responsibility dating back to 1972, when Charles A. Black and Norman Borlaug, along with other engaged scientists, led the movement to “bring science-based information to policy-making. and the public. “
CAST membership consists of scientific and professional societies, universities, companies, nonprofits, libraries and individuals. According to the organization’s website, “The wide distribution of CAST publications to non-scientists improves the education and understanding of the public. At a time when the Internet made it difficult to separate accurate and inaccurate information, it was never more critical for reputable sources to deliver reliable, impartial information from authorities in their respective fields. ” For more, visit www.cast-science.org.
Thomasson represents the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers on CAST’s Plant Agriculture and Environmental Issues Working Group. He was involved in writing two CAST Issue Papers – “Ground and Aerial Robots for Agricultural Production: Opportunities and Challenges” and “The Role of Agricultural Science and Technology in Climate 21 Project Implementation” – and he served as a partner on another CAST. publications.
In his role at MSU, Thomasson is also the William B. and Sherry Berry Endowed Chairholder. He manages 17 faculty members in research and extension associated with agricultural and biological engineering and technology and teaches approximately 500 undergraduate and graduate students. He is a registered professional engineer and previously held faculty positions at Texas A&M University and MSU, while beginning his career as a research engineer with the U.S. Agricultural Research Service. Department of Agriculture.
His vision for CAST includes maintaining scientific objectivity so that positional articles are viewed as informed and credible.
“Within CAST’s position as a scientific authority on agricultural issues, modern means of communicating critical ideas to the public should be explored and adopted where appropriate,” Thomasson said.
Thomasson said he wants to grow CAST membership. He believes that with the growth of agricultural technology in the last decade, it is critical CAST to expand its academic, non-profit and corporate membership with an emphasis on technologies. He hopes to do so by engaging young members and increasing their chances for involvement, encouraging lifelong membership.
MSU is the leading university in Mississippi, available online at www.msstate.edu.
