COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — The Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences announced that Clay Mathis was named head of the Department of Animal Sciences.

“We are very excited to bring Dr. Mathis and his skillset as an educator, researcher and administrator to the Department of Animal Science,” said Jeffrey W. Savell, vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences. “His leadership will be crucial as Texas A&M continues as the preeminent leader in animal science education and research, nationally and internationally.”

Mathis’ vision for the department includes an environment where faculty can thrive so that excellence in teaching and research makes the university the top choice for prospective students seeking animal science education.

“Excellence in teaching, research and extension can only be achieved when faculty and staff are engaged, equipped, aligned and supported,” Mathis said. “I have learned the importance of, and found success by, cultivating a culture of high but reasonable expectations, honest feedback, life balance, mutual respect and genuine trust, which has yielded a very high level of faculty and staff team commitment and extraordinary team results.”

“Also, we must be known as the nation’s pioneer in basic and applied animal science research and the most trusted, valid source of information for livestock producers and policymakers,” he added.

Since 2010, Mathis has served as a professor and a Robert J. Kleberg Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg endowed chair and director at the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Before his tenure at the university, he worked at New Mexico State University as an Extension livestock specialist.

Currently, Mathis serves as vice-chair of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Beef Quality Assurance Advisory Group and co-chair of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Beef Innovations Hub External Advisory Board. He is a member of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raiser Association, American Quarter Horse Association, Cattle-Fax, the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and the Texas Wildlife Association.

Mathis earned his bachelor’s in animal sciences and his master’s in physiology reproduction from Texas A&M University. He earned his doctorate in ruminant nutrition from Kansas State University.