"Texas Tech is my academic home. This position is an exciting new challenge I am eager
to undertake. It encompasses not only my current roles, but also administrative, team
building, and teaching roles."
Alexandre Caldeira Rocateli, an expert in forage systems, has been named Associate Professor of Integrated Crop & Livestock Systems, according to officials at Texas Tech's Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources. He officially steps into his new role on Jun. 1.
“I am honored to be appointed to this position,” Rocateli said. “It feels like going back home. Texas Tech is my academic home. This position is an exciting new challenge I am eager to undertake. It encompasses not only my current roles (forage research and outreach) but also administrative, team building, and teaching roles.”
As part of the position, he'll have a forward-looking vision for transdisciplinary collaboration with scientists across the college toward integrating ongoing research to solve agricultural challenges. In addition to teaching, research and outreach, the Brazil native will provide oversight to the facilities planning and management at the college's agriculture field laboratory near New Deal, Texas.
The 1,000-acre facility comprises a cropping systems unit, improved pastures, a native rangeland, a cow/calf operation, a swine unit, a companion animal unit, a small ruminant research unit, and the Burnett Center beef feeding operation.
“We are excited to have Dr. Rocateli back on our team,” said Davis College Dean Clint Krehbiel. “His leadership will be instrumental in growing integrated cropping and livestock research, outreach, and engagement important to West Texas.”
Rocateli's new position is critical to the key strategic priority area of integrated crop and livestock systems in Davis College's Pursuit to Prime initiative, added Darren Hudson, Davis College Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives & Assessment, and the Larry Combest Endowed Chair for Agricultural Competitiveness in the Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics.
“The position integrates research across water conservation, forage production, and animal agriculture which are all critical research areas for West Texas and semi-arid agricultural production regions around the world,” Hudson said. “Alex's experience in integrated production systems will propel that research area to national prominence.”
"This position is critical to the key strategic priority area of integrated crop and
livestock systems in Davis College's Pursuit to Prime initiative."
Prior to joining Texas Tech faculty, Rocateli served as an Assistant and Associate Professor in Oklahoma State University's Department of Plant & Soil Sciences, where he was appointed as the Forage Systems Extension Specialist. He also worked as a postdoctoral research associate in Texas Tech's Department of Plant & Soil Science.
During his academic career, Rocateli has published 27 refereed journal articles and 32 extension publications. He has given over 130 presentations on forage production and management and written competitive grants resulting in more than $1.5 million to support his research and extension programs.
Rocateli received his bachelor's degree in agronomy from the Sao Paulo State University (UNESP, Botucatu, SP) in Brazil, and his master's degree in agronomy and soils from Auburn University's Department of Agronomy & Soils. His doctorate in plant and soil science is from Texas Tech.
He is an active member of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and Soil Science Society of America Tri-Society, where he served as the 2022 Chair of CSSA Div. 6 – Forage & Grazinglands, an Associate Editor of the Agronomy Journal, and a member of the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies Grass Variety Review Board.
Established in 1923, Davis College includes the departments of agricultural and applied economics, agricultural education and communications, animal and food sciences, landscape architecture, natural resources management, plant and soil science, and veterinary sciences along with multiple research centers and institutes. It has more than 100 tenure-track faculty, 2,748 undergraduate and 519 graduate students, and generates approximately $15 million in extramural research funding.
This story was first published in the Davis College NewsCenter. See the original article here.