Dr. William Green, professor of agricultural sciences and interim director of the School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry at Louisiana Tech University, will assume permanent leadership of the unit as its new director, effective July 1. Pending approval from the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors, Green will take the reins of the newly-formed School, which is part of Louisiana Tech’s College of Applied and Natural Sciences. The School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry was established in December 2015 through a merger of the Department of Agricultural Sciences and School of Forestry.  The merger of these two units, which were closely aligned in academic areas related to natural resources and consolidation, created a number of new learning, research and collaboration opportunities for both students and faculty.  It also encourages strong interdisciplinary interactions in teaching and outreach, and allows for greater efficiencies in administrative and staffing costs. “I am humbled by the selection as director,” said Green.  “I welcome the opportunity to serve as director of agriculture and forestry as we move forward to make both programs stronger by being combined into one unit.” Green holds a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech, his master’s degree from LSU and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Auburn University.  After graduating from Auburn, he owned and operated a veterinary hospital for 27 years in Dubach.  During this time, he accumulated stories about unusual events that occurred as he worked to prevent and treat diseases in animals.  These stories make up the content of his recently published book, “Doc, Did I Wake You Up?” Since 1980, Green has served Louisiana Tech as a professor of agricultural sciences, university veterinarian and an advisor for numerous pre-veterinary medicine students. Green has served on the Board of Veterinary Medicine and is a lifetime member of the national, state, and local veterinary associations.  He has been honored with numerous teaching, advising and service awards at Louisiana Tech as well as the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award for North Louisiana. “The School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry is extremely fortunate to secure Dr. William Green as Director,” said Dr. Gary Kennedy, dean of Louisiana Tech’s College of Applied and Natural Sciences.  “With more than 20 years of experience in serving as an accomplished faculty member at Louisiana Tech, Dr. Green has been recognized for his excellence in teaching, research and service to the university and to his profession and community by being selected for numerous university faculty awards. “His experience, combined with a career as a practicing veterinarian and a highly respected and accomplished professor, makes Dr. Green the ideal person to lead the recently combined areas of agricultural sciences and forestry.” Green says the new School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry is a benefit to the university and the students, and that combining the resources of these two complex units should result in more efficient use of personnel, equipment, and facilities by the university and the students. “I believe the School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry will become recognized for identifying, recruiting, retaining, educating and developing agriculture and forestry students so they can become positive additions to society,” Green said.