Mark A. Hussey, Ph.D., oversees teaching, research, and extension and service in agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. These vital pursuits are carried out by the Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and four statewide agencies: Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the Texas A&M Forest Service, and the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory.
Hussey has led an acclaimed career as an administrator and faculty member. Among other roles, he served as president of Texas A&M University-Kingsville in 2019-2021, vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences in 2008-2018, and interim president of Texas A&M University in 2014-2015.
A strong national advocate for the land-grant system, Hussey has held numerous leadership roles at the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. At the APLU, he served as co-chair of a national task force of engagement, a member of the international committee on Canada, Mexico and U.S. relations, as secretary, vice-chair and chair of the administrative heads section for both the southern region and nationally; and as advocacy chair and chair of the budget and advocacy committee. He also has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Council for Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
Hussey began his academic career in 1983 as an assistant professor at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco, where he conducted forage breeding and management research. He joined the faculty of the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M in 1985. In 2001, Hussey became professor and head of the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences. He was named associate director of programs for Texas A&M AgriLife Research in 2005 and then director of the agency in 2007.
In 2008, he was appointed vice chancellor and dean for agriculture and life sciences within the A&M System. During his tenure at the helm of Texas A&M AgriLife, Hussey managed the design and construction of the multimillion-dollar agriculture and life sciences complex on the Texas A&M campus, providing the first-of-its-kind headquarters for AgriLife. In addition, he spearheaded the creation of The Gardens at Texas A&M, an educational public garden and green space on campus. Fundraising for scholarships and other programs for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences more than doubled during his tenure.
Hussey is a native of southern Illinois, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Illinois. He continued his education at Texas A&M, where he earned a master’s and a doctorate in plant breeding.