Larkin Powell will be the next director of the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. His appointment will begin on Aug. 1.
Powell joined the School of Natural Resources’ faculty in 2001 and is currently a professor of conservation biology and animal ecology. He also serves as an associate dean for student experiences for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
Powell has taught undergraduate and graduate courses on wildlife management and research, and his research program focuses on landscape dynamics, animal demography and movements, and decisions made by private landowners in the Great Plains and throughout the world.
The School of Natural Resources, which was formed in the 1990s, was a relatively young entity when Powell joined the faculty 22 years ago. Since then, the schools’ programs have grown in both size and strength, with many gaining national and international recognition.
At the same time, many alumni have gone on to work for partner entities, including city, state, and federal natural resources agencies, Nebraska’s natural resource districts, non-governmental conservation organizations, environmental consulting firms, and educational institutions.
Powell said he looks forward to strengthening relationships with the school’s partners and identifying opportunities for research that serve Nebraskans and Nebraska landscapes. He also hopes to grow academic programs, including two new academic majors in Regional and Community Forestry and Environmental Science.
“It’s a challenging time on a lot of fronts,” he said, “but there are many good things going on in the school, and I believe, many opportunities to make Nebraska’s landscapes better.”
Mike Boehm, vice chancellor for UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said Powell’s background in research, along with his leadership roles and strong relationships with students, alumni, landowners and other partners, made him a natural choice for the role.
“Dr. Powell is a creative, forward-thinking and incredibly collaborative leader,” Boehm said. “He is absolutely the right person to lead the School of Natural Resources, and I look forward to seeing the important work that our students, faculty and staff are able to complete across our state under his leadership.”
Powell is a Fellow of The Wildlife Society and the author of “Great Plains Birds” (University of Nebraska Press) and “Principles for Management of Fisheries and Wildlife: The Manager as Decision-maker” (Cognella), as well as co-editor of “Harvest of Fish and Wildlife: New Paradigms for Sustainable Management” (CRC Press) and the upcoming ninth edition of “The Wildlife Techniques Manual” (Johns Hopkins University Press). He received his undergraduate degree from Graceland University, his master’s from Iowa State University and his doctoral degree from the University of Georgia.
Powell will succeed John Carroll, who is returning to the faculty as after a decade in the position.
