Rowan Milner spent his week adjusting to his new position as chairman of the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences.
Milner, 55, is replacing Colin Burrows, who retired after holding the position for 30 years. The appointment became effective July 1 and will last five years.
The department focuses on research about animal health and disease. Faculty also provide oversight for clinical services in the UF Small Animal Hospital, which, according to its website, offers medical and surgical care for dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets.
"I've always had a strong interest in research, and I'm looking forward to promoting that," Milner said.
The department, which is part of the College of Veterinary Medicine, is one of the largest in the college, Milner said. As chairman, he will oversee about 90 faculty members and be responsible for faculty recruitment, mentoring and promotion.
He will also be responsible for budget management, leadership in research and veterinary and graduate student education.
Milner, a native of South Africa, began working at UF in 2001 as part of the internal medicine service team. In 2005, he became the chief of veterinary oncology services, a post he held until 2009. He has also held the position of associate chair for research and graduate studies and continues to teach classes within the college.
