COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Two well-known members of the Texas agriculture community have been chosen to lead Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

Chancellor John Sharp and Dr. Mark Hussey, Acting Vice Chancellor and Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences, today announced the appointments of Dr. Cliff Lamb as Acting Director of AgriLife Research and Dr. Rick Avery as Acting Director of AgriLife Extension.

Lamb, currently the head of the Department of Animal Science, begins work in his new job Jan. 1. Avery’s appointment is effective Jan. 18.

Lamb, who came to Texas A&M in 2017, has dramatically increased the research portfolio in animal science. He has also been successful in securing philanthropic funds to support animal science priorities.

Formerly, he served as the Assistant Director and Professor at the University of Florida-North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Fla.

His programs have received more than $10 million in grant funds or gifts. He has published 97 refereed journal articles, along with more than 510 extension and research reports.

Lamb grew up on a cattle operation in Africa. His expertise is beef cattle management with a special emphasis on reproductive physiology.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science at Middle Tennessee State University followed by his master’s degree and doctorate in reproductive physiology at Kansas State University.

Avery, currently the deputy director of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments, has a long track record in government and governmental relations. He worked with the Texas Association of Counties from 2014 through 2020 after spending two decades with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the last ten years as Director of the V. G. Young Institute of County Government.

He also worked on Capitol Hill in the nation’s capital for U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen and U.S. Rep. Greg Laughlin.

He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Austin College and Texas A&M, respectively. He has a PhD. in Educational Administration from Texas A&M.

Avery takes over for Dr. Jeff Hyde, who announced this fall that he would be exploring new career opportunities.

About The Texas A&M University System

The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $9.6 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus, the Texas A&M System educates more than 153,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceed $1 billion and help drive the state’s economy.

–Laylan Copelin, Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
Texas A&M University System