Two CALS leaders named to new positions
Marshall Stewart and Harry Daniels assume new roles
Two long-time College of Agriculture and Life Sciences administrators have been named to new positions. Dr. Marshall Stewart has been named special assistant to the dean and director of college strategy and leadership effective Jan. 1. Dr. Harry Daniels’s appointment as head of the newly created CALS Department of Applied Ecology was effective Nov. 1.
Stewart has most recently served as associate director of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service at N.C. State University and program leader for 4-H youth development and family and consumer sciences. Earlier this year, he led CALS’s strategic planning initiative, and in his new role, he will dedicate his time to the oversight and implementation of the College’s “Envisioned Future.”
Prior to the establishment of the new department, Daniels served as interim department head, Extension leader and director of graduate programs for the Department of Biology.
Stewart holds three degrees from North Carolina State University – bachelor’s, master’s and Ed.D. Over the past 25 years, he has held various administrative roles at the department and college level and is recognized for his leadership in dealing with complex change management issues. He led the successful merger of two CALS departments: 4-H youth development and family and consumer sciences, then served as head of the new department for eight years.
More recently, he led the strategic programmatic realignment for the state 4-H youth development and family and consumer sciences program, while supporting Extension’s state and federal advocacy efforts and the statewide environmental scanning processes.
In addition to his previous administrative positions Stewart keeps busy with additional leadership roles, community involvement and advocacy. He has served as a principal investigator for Project Youth Extension, facilitated the development of an Early College high school and regional high school focused on biotechnology and agri-science education, co-authored two leadership textbooks and has given numerous talks across the nation on legislative advocacy in various public universities.
Daniels first joined CALS nearly 20 years ago as an assistant professor of zoology. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Loyola College in Maryland, then served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa before going to graduate school to earn his master’s and doctoral degrees in fisheries from Auburn University. He worked in private industry for five years in Ecuador, South America, before moving to North Carolina.
Daniels has published over 60 peer-reviewed articles in the field of aquaculture dealing with water quality management for freshwater ponds and the development of culture methods for production of southern flounder. His other contributions include several book chapters, manuals and numerous Extension publications.
He has been invited to speak on aquaculture at scientific meetings in South America and Asia, and he has served as an elected officer in the U.S. Aquaculture Society and as editor-in-chief of the Journal of the World Aquaculture Society. He mentors graduate and undergraduate students and has taught university courses in aquaculture, water quality management and advanced hatchery techniques.
Dr. Joe Zublena, associate dean and director of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, has announced that Dr. Mitzi Stumf-Downing, assistant state program leader for 4-H and FCS, will serve as interim associate director and state program leader for those programs beginning Jan. 1.
The position of associate director and state program leader for 4-H youth development and family and consumer sciences will be nationally advertised. Dr. Tom Melton, associate director and program leader for agriculture and natural resources, will serve as chair of the search committee.
