Dr. David J. Sammons
Dr. David J. Sammons is currently Director of International Programs in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) at the University of Florida. This office provides administrative leadership and support for international activities in the teaching, research, and outreach mission areas of IFAS.
For a two year period (2004 to 2006) prior to his appointment at the University of Florida, Dr. Sammons was on a special assignment with USAID/Washington, working as “Senior Advisor for University Relations and Agricultural Research, Training and Outreach” in the Office of Agriculture.
At Purdue University, he held the position of Associate Dean of the College of Agriculture and Director of the Office of International Programs in Agriculture for the period 1993 to 2004.
Previous to moving to Purdue, Dr. Sammons was employed for 15 years (1978 to 1993) at the University of Maryland as Professor of Agronomy with responsibilities in small grain (wheat, barley) breeding as well as multiple administrative assignments.
He has a wide range of international experiences, first as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines (1968-70), and in recent years in short term consultant positions with USAID in West Africa, Egypt, and Sudan, and as a Fulbright Senior Fellow/Lecturer at Egerton University in Kenya.
He has also acquired professional experience internationally in more than 50 countries across wide areas of Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Rim, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. He is the author of over 170 scientific articles and seven books and/or book chapters. In 2001, Dr. Sammons was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). Dr. Sammons holds a Ph.D. in Agronomy, Crop Breeding (1978) from University of Illinois; an A.M. in Biology (1972) from Harvard University; and a B.S. in Biology (1968) from Tufts University.
