Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez

In my current position as Associate Dean of Academic Programs, I supervise the academic and curricular success of more than 3000 students in the College of Agricultural Sciences. As the leader of the Academic Programs Office, I oversee curricular content and innovation, student recruitment, class scheduling, scholarships, internships, and career development for students in the ten Academic Units of the college. In my position I am also responsible for promoting diversity and inclusion in the student population.

My research centers on rangeland vegetation and arid land plants. I am interested in studying the ecology, eco-physiology, and consumption of these plants as affected by different forms of management or environmental variation. My current research can be grouped in the following programs:

• Water use and plant adaptations to drought
• Utilization of organic amendments and mycorrhizal fungi in ecological restoration
• Ecological impacts of livestock grazing
• Carbon accumulation as affected by ecosystem management
• Rangeland invasive plants/weeds (exotic annuals, juniper)