Executive Committee

The responsibilities of the Executive Committee include:

  • guiding policy development and alterations for the program
  • evaluating and approving faculty applications for membership
  • advising the Director and Assistant Director on academic and programmatic issues
  • reviewing the GDPE Curriculum periodically and recommending any curricular changes
  • discussing issues brought forward by the Academic Committee and graduate student representatives
  • reviewing and ranking nominations for the Distinguished Ecologist lecture series, and providing expertise in the selection process 
  • current students can contact student representatives to bring ideas to the Committee and to answer new student questions
  • contact elected members for collegiate representation 

Administration

Ruth Hufbauer

Ruth Hufbauer

Director
Department of Agricultural Biology
Jennifer Neuwald

Jennifer Neuwald

Assistant Director
Department of Biology
Alan Knapp

Alan Knapp

Senior Ecologist
Department of Biology

Elected Members

Meena Balgopal

Meena Balgopal

Member at Large
Department of Biology
Term: 2020-2022
larissa

Larissa Bailey

WCNR Representative
Department of FWCB
Term: 2020-2022
Boone, Randy 8-11-20

Randall Boone

Member at Large
Department of ESS
Term: 2021-2023
Louise Comas

Louise Comas

Affiliate Scientist Representative
USDA ARS
Term: 2021-2023
Francesca Cotrufo

Francesca Cotrufo

Member at Large
Department of SCS
Term: 2020-2022
Melissa Morado

Melissa Morado

Student Representative
Department of Biology
Term: 2022-2023
Keith Paustian

Keith Paustain

College of Agricultural Sciences Representative
Department of SCS
Term: 2021-2023
Jason Sibold

Jason Sibold

College of Liberal Arts Representative
Department of Anthropology and Geography
Term: 2021-2023
Melinda Smith

Melinda Smith​

College of Natural Sciences Representative
Department of Biology
Term: 2021-2023
Erin Weingarten

Erin Weingarten

Student Representative
Department of FWCB
Term: 2022-2023