João Vendramini named center director in Stephenville
Forage-livestock expert to lead Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center
João “Joe” Vendramini, Ph.D., will join Texas A&M AgriLife Research as director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Stephenville beginning May 1.
“Dr. Vendramini’s extensive background will be integral to advancing the strategic priorities of our center at Stephenville and beyond,” said G. Cliff Lamb, Ph.D., director of AgriLife Research. “He will lead pioneering initiatives that nourish health, strengthen communities, protect natural resources and support economies.”
Vendramini will transition to AgriLife Research from his current role as professor and forage specialist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Range Cattle Research and Education Center.
He also served as assistant professor and forage specialist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton, and as a faculty member in the Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences from 2005 to 2006, just before his role at Florida.
“I am elated to join the team at Stephenville,” Vendramini said. “I hope to add significant value to the center’s research portfolio and enhance stakeholder engagement, both of which align closely with my professional background.”
A career in research
Vendramini’s research focuses on forage management, particularly in subtropical production systems. His program has emphasized the forage-livestock interface and how forage management impacts animal production and ecosystem services.
The work has yielded five book chapters, 190 refereed journal articles, 52 extension publications and more than 160 abstracts presented at professional meetings.
Vendramini has secured more than $30 million in research funding as principal investigator or co-principal investigator. He has mentored 12 graduate students to degree completion.
Professional merit and accolades
Among his many accolades are the Merit Award from the American Forage and Grassland Council, the Florida Cattlemen’s Association Researcher of the Year award, the Florida Association of County Agricultural Agents Outstanding Specialist award, and the Term Professorship Award from his current institute at Florida.
Vendramini is a Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy. He is an active member of the American Society of Animal Sciences, the American Registry of Animal Science Professionals, the American Forage and Grassland Council, and the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, among others.
He earned a doctorate in forage management from the University of Florida. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and master’s degree in animal science, both from the University of São Paulo.
