The New Chancellor of the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center

The Southern University board of governors has named Bobby R. Phills as chancellor of the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He will also serve as dean of the College of Agriculture. Established in 2001, the stated mission of the center is “to conduct basic and applied research, and disseminate information to the citizens of Louisiana in a manner that is useful in addressing their scientific, technological, social, economic and cultural needs.”

Dr. Phills is the former director of land grant programs at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. There, he also served for 11 years as director of the Small Fruit Research program in the Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research.

A graduate of Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in horticultural sciences, Dr. Phills earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in horticulture from Louisiana State University. He conducted postdoctoral research in plant breeding and genetics at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

In accepting the appointment, Dr. Phills said “this is the happiest day of my life. I am happy to be here to serve my alma mater and land grant constituents of this state. I assure you I won’t disappoint you.”