Stephan Herbert

Stephan Herbert is a Professor in the Stockbridge School of Agriculture within the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He serves as Associate Dean and Director of the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station, and Director of UMass Extension, leading integrated agricultural research and outreach initiatives across the university and Commonwealth.

His work spans a broad interpretation of agriculture, emphasizing both foundational and applied research domains. Key focus areas include:

• Basic research in plants, animals, food systems, and natural environments
• Applied research in crop science, animal husbandry, food/nutrition security, and sustainable resource management
• Integration of federal and competitively funded research with extension outreach programs

Under Herbert's leadership since 2009, the Center for Agriculture has revitalized agricultural programming, assuming management of research/instructional farms and forging critical alignment between UMass Extension and experimental research units. His strategic vision maintains agricultural prominence following the merger of the historic agriculture college into the College of Natural Sciences.

Collaborative leadership defines Herbert's approach, engaging Stockbridge School faculty, farm managers, extension educators, and college administration to advance agricultural science across Massachusetts. His operational framework leverages federal Experiment Station funding while expanding competitive grant-supported initiatives in emerging agricultural disciplines.