February 02, 2006
Klubek heads plant, soil and agricultural systems
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Brian P. Klubek, professor of plant, soil and agricultural systems at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, became permanent chair of his department Jan. 3, after serving 18 months in the position on an interim basis.
"He's done an outstanding job in this past year and a half," said Gary L. Minish, dean of SIUC's College of Agricultural Sciences.
"He's got 27 years' experience in that department as a faculty member and the strong support of faculty, staff and students as well as upper administration. And with that year and a half in the chair's position, we knew he could do it. Hiring him was kind of a no-brainer."
The appointment requires SIU Board of Trustees' approval.
Klubek will head a department with a sizeable faculty, a significant research program and roughly one-third of the college's students. Because of its diverse approach — it has specializations in business, the environment, landscape horticulture and science as well as offering a more traditional production focus — the department has tremendous growth potential, Minish said, and he expects Klubek to take it "to the next level."
"I think we can grow in just about every area," Minish said.
"I expect him to significantly increase the enrollment and strength of the graduate programs (the college has a new doctoral degree in the works), and I believe we can easily double the amount of research and teaching in such areas as plant breeding, production and diseases, specialty crops, genomics and ‘green' studies."
In addition, the department will significantly increase its outreach.
"Expect more field days, more publications," Minish said.
Klubek, a native of Buffalo, N.Y., came to SIUC in 1978 from North Carolina State University, where he had spent nine months as a research associate after earning his doctorate at Utah State University the previous year.
His specialties and research interests include microbial ecology, nitrogen dynamics in soil, sulfur transformations in soil and biodegradation of pesticides in soil.
His professional memberships include the American Society of Agronomy, the American Society of Microbiology, the Soil Science Society of America and the Society of Sigma Xi.
In addition to his doctorate, Klubek has a master's degree from Oregon State University, earned in 1974, and a bachelor's degree from Colorado State University, earned in 1971.
Klubek and his wife, Vickie, live in Murphysboro.
Seeking and celebrating faculty excellence are among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint the University if following as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2019.
Brian P. Klubek
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