Vice President and Vice Chancellor of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Prior to joining the University of Nebraska on July 19, 2010, as Vice President and IANR Harlan Vice Chancellor, Dr. Green served as the senior director of Pfizer Animal Health overseeing global technical services for Animal Genetics, a position he held since April of 2008. Ronnie was raised on a mixed beef, dairy and cropping farm in southwestern Virginia. He received B.S. and M.S. degrees in animal science from Virginia Tech and Colorado State University, respectively. His Ph.D. program was completed jointly at the University of Nebraska and the USDA U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in animal breeding in 1988. Ronnie has served on the animal science faculties of Texas Tech University (1989-1994) and Colorado State University (1994-2000), reaching the rank of full professor in 1997. He has been recognized with a number of distinguished local, regional and national teaching and research awards for the work he led with 25 Ph.D. and M.S. students and colleagues in beef cattle breeding and genetics in those positions.

From 2003-2008, Green served as the national program leader for animal production research for the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and as the executive secretary of the White House’s interagency working group on animal genomics within the National Science and Technology Council. In this role, he directed a $45M annual research portfolio and was one of the principal leaders in the international bovine, porcine, and ovine genome projects. Ronnie has published 130 refereed publications and abstracts, 9 book chapters, and 56 invited symposia papers; and has delivered invited presentations in 42 U.S. states, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. He is President and has served as a board member, recording secretary and as a member of the executive committee for the American Society of Animal Science, and in a number of industry leadership positions for the Beef Improvement Federation, NCBA, National Pork Board, DISCOVER Conferences, and the National Block and Bridle Club.

Ronnie and best friend Jane are the proud parents of Justin (21), Nate (19), Kelli (16), and Regan (13).