William ‘Bill’ Brown, a nationally recognized animal science researcher and former dean of Texas Tech’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, passed away on away on Sunday (Mar. 9) following a long illness. He was 69. Brown’s appointment as Davis College dean ran from 2018 to 2021.
The Albuquerque, New Mexico native was a strong supporter of Davis College’s historic mission, noting at the time that the college was a national leader in preparing and placing workforce-ready students, discovering groundbreaking knowledge and technologies to enhance people's lives and engaging in public service. He believed that Davis College was in an excellent position to advance student outcomes, deliver discoveries and serve the public in new and exciting ways.
A program that stands out in Brown's Davis College tenure was his launch of a new Davis College Faculty Fellows Program, a year-long program of presentations to assist in their transition to the faculty. Topics include advising and 'at risk' students; sponsored research; academic integrity, work-life balance and human resources; creating a culture of excellence in research; service learning and community engagement; and general international programs.
Another administrative highlight was Brown's development of a new faculty appointments document, allowing faculty to be better evaluated in terms of their research and teaching activities. The program was designed to allow a better balance between departmental needs and expertise of individual faculty members, since not every faculty member has the same strengths.
Prior to joining Texas Tech in 2018, Brown served as the Dean for Research and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at the Institute of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee since 2008. His office provided support and oversight to all research activities within UTIA while coordinating with academic programs and extension within seven academic departments.
As director of the UTIA, Brown was responsible for overseeing approximately 170 faculty members and 10 AgResearch and Education Centers across Tennessee, helping facilitate research collaborations with the University of Tennessee College of Engineering and College of Arts & Sciences.
Brown earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida, his master's degree from the University of Tennessee and his doctorate from the University of Nebraska. His research concentration was in ruminant nutrition. Brown was active in national leadership roles with the Experiment Station Committee on Policy, serving as chairman of the budget and legislative committee and chairman of the National Research Support Program-1 NIMMS.
Before his Tennessee tenure, Brown served as Assistant Dean for Research and Assistant Director of the University of Florida's Agricultural Experiment Station within the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (1999-2008). He helped coordinate interactions with academic programs and extension and interacted with commodity groups and support programs.
CONTACT: Clint Krehbiel, Dean, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or Clint.Krehbiel@ttu.edu
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