Jeff GoodwinJeff Goodwin, Ph.D., director of the Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management, research assistant professor and recipient of the Thomas M. O'Connor Endowed Directorship in Rangeland and Wildlife Management, has dedicated his career to working directly with rangeland managers to improve their operations’ stewardship, resilience and profitability.
Since joining Texas A&M AgriLife in 2022, Goodwin has worked to build a multidisciplinary cohort of partners across The Texas A&M University System, outside universities, federal agencies, conservation organizations and the ranching industry to safeguard the ecological and economic resiliency of grazing land resources and ranching operations.
“Dr. Goodwin has breathed life into the Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management since taking the reins as director,” said Stephen Webb, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management. “His decades of experience and producer-focused consultation guided his vision for the center as it relates to grazing lands and animals, producer needs, economic stability and the ecological integrity of our working lands.”
Currently, the Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management is facilitating 16 active research and educational projects, including a broad-scale case study of grazing strategies and their associated ecologic and economic outcomes at Texas A&M University’s 2,726-acre La Copita Demonstration Ranch and Research Area in Jim Wells County.
Goodwin said the center prioritizes applied rangeland and wildlife research and translates that data into accessible, relevant information for rangeland managers.
“Service has been a priority throughout my career,” Goodwin said. “I am dedicated to addressing current, on-the-ground issues facing the men and women who steward our rangeland landscapes, as well as tackling industry-level challenges that impact grazing lands and ranch enterprises across the country.”
Goodwin has helped secure more than $42 million in research and outreach grant funding, with more than half awarded after he joined AgriLife Research.
He also serves as the current president of the Society for Range Management and holds additional leadership roles with the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, National and Texas Grazing Land Coalitions, and others.
Although Goodwin’s primary appointment is focused on research, his outreach and teaching contributions are significant. Dr. Goodwin has delivered more than 300 technical presentations to producers and is currently mentoring 15 graduate students.
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