Colleagues,
I’m happy to announce the appointment of Dr. Won Bo Shim as interim head for the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, effective Sept. 1.
Dr. Shim takes over for Dr. Leland ‘Sandy’ Pierson, who, after 13 successful years as department head, would like to devote more time to research and teaching. Among the highlights of Dr. Pierson’s leadership was overseeing the design and construction of the state-of-the-art Plant Pathology and Microbiology building, which will allow the department to lead in its field for decades to come. I am grateful to Dr. Pierson for his service and look forward to his continued achievements as a faculty member.
Dr. Shim has been a member of the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology faculty for nearly 20 years. For the past five years, he has served with distinction as the department’s associate head for academic affairs.
Dr. Shim is passionate about teaching, particularly high-impact experiences such as study abroad programs and undergraduate research internships. He was awarded the Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Award in Educational Enrichment and Innovation earlier this year.
Dr. Shim’s research focuses on the biology of fungal pathogens of important field crops in Texas. In addition, the Shim lab is active in wide-ranging collaborations to find solutions in plastic waste remediation. Dr. Shim’s research has been funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the National Science Foundation and other extramural funds.
Dr. Shim earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural biology in 1992 and master’s degree in plant pathology in 1995 from Seoul National University, Korea. He earned a doctorate in plant pathology in 2000 from Purdue University, then conducted post-doctoral research with U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service before coming to Texas A&M as a faculty member.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Shim to his new leadership role and thanking Dr. Pierson for his many years of leadership!
Thanks and Gig ’em,
Jeffrey W. Savell
Vice Chancellor and Dean, Agriculture and Life Sciences
