MSU Faculty Authors

Watson, Vance H

, Mississippi State University
E-mail address:

Former interim president from his positions as vice president of the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station; executive director of Extension and Outreach; and professor of agronomy.

Dr. Watson provided leadership to the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine and served as Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, and as Executive Director of the Mississippi State University Extension and Outreach.

Education
B.S. Southeast Missouri State University; 1964
M.S. University of Missouri; 1966
Ph.D. Mississippi State University, 1969

Points of Interest

  • More than 40 years of professional experience in research, teaching, and administrative activities.
  • Selected Fellow of American Society of Agronomy.
  • Selected Fellow of Crop Science Society of America.
  • Traveled in over 50 countries on various agricultural missions.
  • Author of over 300 publications including 6 chapters in textbooks.
  • Served as Executive Vice President of AOSCA, an international organization for genetic standards and certification of 350 varieties of crops produced by 25,000 growers in 9 countries, 1992-1997.
  • Member of official United States delegation for setting world policy on seed certification, 1993-1997.
  • Served as team leader for review of Peace Corps agricultural programs in Thailand.
  • Selected Professor of the Year twice by two different student organizations.
  • Received MSU Alumni Award for Excellence in Research.
  • Received First Mississippi Corporation Award for outstanding experiment station scientist.
  • Received the MSU Library Outstanding MSU Faculty Award, 2004.
  • Received the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Distinguished Service Award, December 2006.
  • Received the Kenneth Cook Award, Mississippi 4-H Volunteer Leaders Association.
  • Received the Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors 2007 Excellence in Leadership Award.
  • Received numerous other awards and honors.
  • Eagle Scout.
  • Hobbies are hunting, carpentry.
  • Married to Jo Ann with three children and seven grandchildren.