A farewell reception for Richard Ferguson, professor and interim head of the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, is 3 to 5 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Goodding Learning Center, 280 Plant Sciences Hall.

He has been named vice chancellor for the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture, effective Jan. 1.

Opening in July 2019, the Rwanda Institute is an English language agricultural institution. Establishing the Institute is a joint effort of the Government of Rwanda and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln providing leadership in curriculum development and technical advising.

As vice chancellor, Ferguson will provide direction for the institution, manage fiscal resources, recruit and select faculty and staff, lead the development of research and extension programs, and oversee student recruitment.

Ferguson, a professor of soil science, began his career at Nebraska as an assistant professor in 1985 conducting research, delivering extension programs, and teaching in the areas of soil fertility and precision agriculture. He began serving in administration for the department as associate head in 2012.

The reception is free and open to the public and is hosted by the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. Please feel free to share on the online guest book at go.unl.edu/ferguson-farewell.