Vermont Tech is pleased to announce that Dr. Chris Dutton has been appointed the Director for the Institute for Applied Agriculture and Food Systems. Dr. Dutton is an agriculture professor at Vermont Tech who has worked at the college since 2005. The Institute for Applied Agriculture and Food Systems serves the applied and technical research and education needs of industries related to agriculture, food production, waste disposal and energy production in Vermont and New England. The Institute is initially funded by a $3.4 million U.S. Department of Labor grant.
“I've spent the last eight years working with students and learning what they want and need to be successful in Vermont agriculture,” said Dutton. "I'm hugely excited to be offered this position and with the U.S. Department of Labor grant, we will be able to use those funds to benefit Vermont's future farmers.”
Starting on or before July 1, 2013, Dr. Dutton will be responsible for providing strategic leadership for all programs of the Institute and advocate for the Institute as an innovative educational tool in Vermont, New England and beyond. The Institute will serve as a collaborative program involving the college’s food systems resources including the dairy farm, equine center, market garden, orchard, maple sugaring operation, dairy and produce production facility, food hub business incubator, anaerobic bio-digester and related facilities.
“Dr. Dutton has been a very influential advisor and teacher for the aspiring farmers here at Vermont Tech,” said college President Dr. Philip Conroy. “We are confident that he will continue as a strong, qualified leader as Director of the Institute and will do an excellent job managing the program.”
While employed at Vermont Tech, Dr. Dutton has developed and implemented the Bachelor of Science program in Diversified Agriculture, and delivered approximately nine different agriculture courses. He managed academic operations for approximately 75 full-time faculty, numerous adjunct faculty and 1500 students while serving as interim academic dean in 2010. Also an experienced veterinarian, Dr. Dutton received his doctorate degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and an undergraduate degree at Middlebury College. As Director of the Institute, Dr. Dutton will represent Vermont Tech at state, regional and national meetings and serve as a leading expert on agriculture and food systems.