UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ new associate dean for research grew up on a small farm and chose to get her doctorate in agricultural and resource economics at Oregon State University.
“No one’s born saying they want to be an agricultural economist,” said Sherry Larkin, the newly appointed associate dean, laughing.
She was promoted after being a UF professor for about 15 years.
As associate dean, she said she plans to showcase different types of research, such as social-science research.
A lot of people think of research as beakers and experiments, she said, but not all fields within IFAS are like that.
She said she will also continue to oversee graduate students.
One of her students, 22-year-old Natalie Miaoulis, took Larkin’s class as an undergraduate and now does research under her as a graduate student.
“It’s through our research that we’re able to impact the community, our nation and our world,” the international food and resource economics student said.
Miaoulis said Larkin has been a personal mentor for her, showing her that “you can raise a family, you can travel the world, be successful academically and professionally and make a difference.”
Jackie Burns, the IFAS dean for research, said Larkin was an asset to the college from the very beginning.
“Our team leadership has been stronger now than it ever has been,” she said.
