AMES, Iowa – Francis Owusu will bring a unique perspective to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, having been on both the receiving and giving ends of global development programs.
Owusu, former department chair and now professor of community and regional planning at Iowa State University’s College of Design, will move across campus to Curtiss Hall, where he will become the next CALS associate dean for global engagement and director of the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods, effective March 17.
A native of Ghana and raised on a small-holder farm, Owusu is a trained geographer with many years of academic work in sustainable development, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, the Midwest and elsewhere. His research, teaching and outreach have focused on globalization and development policy, institutional capacity building, agriculture and natural resources management, and urban and economic development issues. He has engaged in several development projects alongside nongovernmental organizations, policymakers and international development agencies.
“We are so pleased to welcome Dr. Owusu to our college. His extensive background in administration and global efforts, including many collaborations over the years with the sustainable agriculture graduate program, is impressive and will serve him well in these roles,” said Daniel J. Robison, endowed dean’s chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “He will bring new insights and perspectives to this work in the college as our global engagement efforts continue to expand and evolve across all disciplines and mission areas.”
As associate dean, Owusu will lead the college’s Office for Global Engagement, which enables more than 400 students annually to engage in experiential learning across the U.S. and around the world. He will also collaborate with the CALS Offices for Academic Innovation and Research and Discovery to support the global interests of CALS faculty, staff and students in every department and major. Additionally, he will work to enhance the college’s programs and partnerships worldwide, such as in the U.S. Virgin Islands and other locations of significant college involvement.
As the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods program and its signature activities in Uganda enter their third decade, Owusu’s leadership will play a crucial role in sustaining and advancing those programs to improve Ugandan lives and communities. This CSRL program and others in the college enable students, faculty and staff to gain global experience with the CALS perspective of local-to-global relevance, from science to trade to sustainable economies and environments.
“I am enthusiastic about this opportunity because of CALS’ longstanding commitment to global engagement, the extensive range of global activities it undertakes, and the diverse disciplines represented within the college,” Owusu said. “These disciplines have the potential to contribute significantly to addressing global food needs, reducing poverty, and enhancing overall quality of life.”
In addition to his associate dean and director roles and the enabling work with donors and partners, Owusu will hold the title of Raymond and Mary Baker Chair for Global Agriculture and serve as a professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice.
Owusu has a bachelor’s degree in geography and a master’s in population studies from the University of Ghana. He also has a master’s degree in geography from Carleton University in Canada and a doctoral degree in geography from the University of Minnesota.
He will build upon the work and leadership of David Acker, who has served in these same roles and as associate dean for academic programs for the past 25 years. Acker will remain active in the college, serving as co-holder of the Baker Chair, professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies, and special advisor to the dean.
“Dr. Acker has done a tremendous job of building and strengthening the college’s global programs during the past 25 years, for which we are so grateful. His legacy is the vibrancy of our global engagement broadly writ, which he’ll continue to build on in the coming years,” Robison said. “On behalf of the entire college, the supporters of our global programs, and with great thanks to the search committee led by Dr. Carmen Bain, we are looking forward to Dr. Owusu’s leadership to build upon our strong foundations in this area of work, and further advance our college’s standing and impacts at the global level.”
