Michael (Mike) Borman served as the Interim Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Lead. Mike received a B.S. in Elementary Education from Moorhead State College (now Minnesota State University – Moorhead) in 1973.
Following 2 years as Peace Corps volunteer in the Marshall Islands, a change in direction seemed appropriate and resulted in a M.S. in Range Ecology from Colorado State University in 1981 and a Ph.D. in Rangeland Ecology from Oregon State University in 1989. From 1982 through 1986, Mike was a technical advisor in central Tunisia for OSU funded through a USAID contract.
Following a PhD, a post-doc with the ARS in Miles City, MT and a stint as a consultant, Mike returned to Corvallis in 1992 as a Range Scientist for a newly formed BLM research unit. That unit morphed several times and is now a USGS unit serving the Northwest Region.
In 1994 Mike was hired as the Range Extension Specialist in the (then) Department of Rangeland Resources, subsequently renamed Rangeland Ecology and Management. In 2007 Mike was named department head for Rangeland Ecology and Management. In 2012 Rangeland Ecology and Management merged with Animal Sciences to become Animal and Rangeland Sciences with Mike as the Range Program Lead and continuing as Range Extension Specialist. In August 2012 Mike was asked to serve as Interim Extension Ag & NR Program Lead until a fulltime replacement is hired.
Former research included site characteristics for riparian vegetation and monitoring goose-grazing impacts on crops. Interests included riparian assessment and management, grazing management, animal behavior, weed ecology, and management.