Background

Dr. Matt Baker served at Texas Tech as professor and department chair from 2000-2008, after serving on the faculty at the University of Florida (1994-2000) and Cal Poly University in Pomona (1990-1994). Baker served as the Shirley L. and Lucille Garrison Endowed Professor in Rural Youth Development (2002–2008) and as founding dean of Tech’s University College (2008-2011), after which he returned to the teaching faculty in Agricultural Education and Communications (2011-2019). Baker was subsequently employed as professor and department head at Texas A&M University where he served until his retirement in 2024.

A native of Vernon, Texas, Baker earned his bachelor's degree in agricultural education from Texas Tech University (1979) and his master's degree, also from Texas Tech in educational administration (1986). He received a Ph.D. from Ohio State University (1990). He previously worked as an agricultural sciences teacher at Idalou (Texas) High School (1983-1987).

Baker received the Texas Tech Presidential Teaching Award (2015) and was elected to the Texas Tech Teaching Academy (2004). He served as the Superintendent of the Florida FFA Agriscience Fair (1999-2000), the Texas FFA Agriscience Fair (2002-2007), the National FFA Agriscience Program (2002-2007), and received the Honorary American FFA Degree from the National FFA Association (2007).

Other honors include his election as a Fellow in the American Association for Agricultural Education (2009) and Senior Fellow in the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education Association (2017).