Barbara Kirby

Bio

Dr. Barbara Kirby grew up in Shadyside, Ohio, a small, eastern Ohio town along the Ohio River. Her grandfather instilled in her a passion for agriculture, natural resources and the environment. While steel mills and coalmines drove the area economic engine and provided the livelihood for many family members, the pollutants and degradation of the environment motivated her to pursue Natural Resources as an area of study at The Ohio State University. There she earned her B.S. in Natural Resources and the Natural Resources/Environmental Sciences teaching certification. While teaching natural resources and managing an 80-acre land laboratory at the Ashland Co. – West Holmes Joint Vocational School, she completed her M.S. degree in Agricultural Education. The challenges and rewards of supervising student teachers led her to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, now Virginia Tech to complete her doctorate degree.

Dr. Kirby began her career at NC State University in 1985 as an assistant professor. She progressed through the ranks from assistant professor to full professor where she holds tenure in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences. Dr. Kirby devoted 13 years to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University as Associate Director of Academic Programs. She provided leadership for courses and curricula; teaching and advising effectiveness; and instructional technology initiatives. She also served as Director for the Agricultural Institute, a nationally prominent associate degree program.

She continued her administrative career at NC State as Associate Vice Provost of Administration and Curricular Programs in the University College, Division of Academic and Student Affairs (DASA) at North Carolina State University. As associate vice provost, Kirby had leadership and specific administrative oversight for faculty promotion and awards; the overall processing of university courses and curricula and oversight of the General Education Program (GEP), First Year Inquiry program and interdisciplinary programs.

On July 1, 2017, Dr. Kirby enthusiastically returned to the Agricultural and Extension Education teaching faculty. She says  “it is great to be back home again, working with our outstanding faculty, ag teachers, extensions agents and State Staff. Most of all, I’m excited about teaching and advising our awesome students!”

Dr. Kirby and her spouse, Milford “Biff” have one daughter, Ashley. Ashley’s Golden Retriever, Valvano, and Luna, the crazy standard poodle, complete the family. The Kirby’s are avid Wolfpack fans that have attended most football and basketball games since Dr. Kirby first came to NC State.  Dr. Kirby enjoys genealogy, trying new restaurants and loves to travel, especially to the beach and to Ohio where she cheers on the Buckeyes.

Professional Honors/Offices/Recognitions

• Teacher Education representative to the NC Alumni Council
• Senior Fellow, American Association for Agricultural Educators, 2014
• Food Systems Leadership Institute (FSLI) Fellow. National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges and W.K Kellogg Foundation, 2008 – 2010
• Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education, NCSU Division of Undergraduate Academic Programs Award, 2009
• Friends of Academic Support Programs for Student Athletes (ASPSA) Award
• NC State University Performance Leadership Program. Division of Human Resources, North Carolina State University, 2007-2008
• NCSU Outstanding Administrative Adviser, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences University nominee, 2005
• Distinguished Lecturer for the 79^th annual meeting of the Southern Agricultural Education Conference with the Southern Association of Scientists in Agriculture (2000, January), Lexington, KY
• Vice President of AAAE, Southern Region
• Academy of Outstanding Teachers, NC State University, 1997 and 1989
• Experiment Station Committee on Policy and Academic Committee on Policy (ESCOP/ACOP) Leadership Development Program, Class VII: Instructional Technology Delivery Project, 1997-99
• BRIDGES IV Academic Leadership Program for Women (One of 10 from NCSU selected to participate in UNC system wide program), 1996-97
• Virginia Tech Recognition of Generations of Women Teachers: Leader, Achiever, Outstanding Alumna, 1996
• Teacher Fellow, National Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA), 1995
• Distinguished Teaching Award, American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) Southern Region, 1995
• North Carolina Alumnae Themis Award for contributions to a collegiate chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha
• National Certificate of Merit for contributions to a collegiate chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha
• Outstanding Young Scholar, University Council for Vocational Education, 1990

Primary Teaching Responsibilities

AEE 226       Computer Applications and Instructional Technology in Agricultural and  Extension Education

AEE 500       Agricultural Education, Schools, and Society

AEE 501       Foundations of Agricultural and Extension Education

AEE 505       Trends and Issues in Agricultural and Extension Education

Recent Publications/Presentations

Refereed or Reviewed Articles in Journals

• Kirby, B. & Mullen, M. D. (June 2016). Global Perspectives Certificate Program:  Assessment Using Faculty Developed Rubric.  NACTA Journal, 2016 NACTA Abstracts. 60 (1) 67-68.
• Willis, A.L., Warner, W.J., Kirby, B.M., & Jones, D.W.W. (2015). Motivations to Study Abroad: A Case Study of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Agribusiness Short-Term Study Abroad Program. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education. 24 (1).
• Wilson, E.B. and Kirby, B.M. (2006) Are Students Who Comply With The Progress Toward Degree Regulations More Successful? North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal, 50(1), 37-43.
• Wilson, E.B., Kirby, B.M. and Flowers, J.L. (2002). Factors Influencing the Intent of North Carolina Agricultural Educators to Adopt Agricultural Biotechnology Curriculum, Journal of Agricultural Education, 43(1), 69-81.?

Refereed Articles and Abstracts Published in Research Proceedings

• Kirby, B.M. & Mullen, M. D. (June 2016). Global Perspectives Certificate Program: Assessment Using a Faculty Developed Rubric. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference, University of Hawaii, Manoa, HI
• Willis, A.L., Warner, W.J., Kirby, B.M., & Jones, D.W.W. (June 2015). Short-Term Study Abroad Programs: What is on Undergraduates’ Minds? North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference, Athens, GA.
• Amber Lynn Willis*, Wendy J. Warner, Barbara Kirby and David W. W. Jones. (June. 2015). Short-Term Study Abroad: What Concerns do Undergraduates have about International Travel? NACTA 2015 Poster Session. Athens, GA.
• Willis, A.L., Warner, W.J., Kirby, B.M., & Jones, D.W.W. (May 2015). A Case Study of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Agribusiness Short-Term Study Abroad Program. National American Association for Agricultural Education Research Conference, San Antonio, TX.
• Gray, E., Moore, G. E., Wilson, E. & Kirby, B. M. (2012). Attracting Academically/Intellectual Gifted Students to Career and Technical Education: Lessons Learned from Agricultural Education. Paper presented to the Association for Career and Technical Education Research. Atlanta, GA. November 27.
• Gray, E., Moore, G. E., Wilson, E. & Kirby, B. M. (2012). Attracting Academically/Intellectual Gifted Students to Career and Technical Education: Lessons Learned from Agricultural Education? Presented at the North Carolina Career and Technical Education 2012 Summer Conference. Greensboro, NC, July 24.
• Gray, E., Moore, G., Wilson, E. and  Kirby,B. (2012). Perceptions of Academically or Intellectual Gifted Students Towards Agricultural Education. Proceedings of the Southern Region Conference of the American Association for Agricultural, Education. Birmingham, AL. This paper was selected as a Graduate Student Distinguished Paper. The top five graduate student papers are recognized with this designation.
• Gray, E, Kirby, B.M., (2010). FOCUSed on You for 2: An Innovative Poster Abstract. Proceedings of the Southern Region Conference of the American Association for Agricultural Education. Orlando, Florida.
• Baughman, K., Kirby, B., Troxler, S. and Starling, R. (2012). Agricultural Perspectives and Opportunity A Government and Educational Partnership Prepares the Next Generation of Agriculture Leaders. Proceedings of the American Association for Agricultural Education Annual Conference. Asheville, North Carolina. (Outstanding Innovative Idea Poster Second Place).
• Baughman, K., Kirby, B., Troxler, S. and Starling, R. (2012). Engaging the Campus in Agricultural Issues and Perspectives: A Government and Educational Partnership Prepares the Next Generation of Agriculture Leaders. Proceedings of the American Association for Agricultural Education Annual Conference. Asheville, North Carolina.(Outstanding Innovative Idea Poster Third Place).
• Lee, A, Kirby, B.M., Johnson, A., Hancock, A. (2008). Student Success Workshop Series: A Student Retention Strategy Facilitated Through University Collaboration An Innovative Poster. Proceedings of the Southern Region Conference of the American Association for Agricultural Education. Dallas, Texas
• Wilson, E.B. and Kirby, B.M. (2005). Factors Related to the Effectiveness of Progress toward Degree Regulations, Proceedings of the National Agricultural Education Research Conference, San Antonio, Texas.
• Black, B.; Niedzlek-Feaver, M.; Kirby, B.M.; Meeks, H.; and Young, T. (2003). Using Wireless, Handheld Computers to Increase Interactivity and Collaborative Learning in the Classroom, Syllabus: New Dimensions in Educational Technology. Boston, MA?

Student Directed Thesis/Dissertation Awards

• Alan Kahler Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award presented to Elizabeth Wilson and advisor, Barbara M. Kirby by the American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) (2000) Orlando, FL.
• Outstanding Master Thesis Award presented to L. K. Becton by Omicron Tau Theta (National Honorary in Vocational Education), 1996. Directed by Barbara M. Kirby.
• Outstanding Master Thesis Award presented to T.R. Seaboch by Omicron Tau Theta (National Honorary in Vocational Education), 1995. Directed by Barbara M. Kirby.

Area(s) of Expertise

Adoption and impact of instructional technology
Mentoring and persistence of beginning teachers
Student access and successful pathways in higher education
Curriculum and instruction
Historical Foundations of Agricultural and Extension Education