UA Names Dr. Donald C. Slack Global Initiatives Faculty Fellow

The University of Arizona Office of Global Initiatives (OGI) is pleased to name Dr. Donald C. Slack, a pioneer in the field of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty Fellow in OGI. Dr. Slack will use his vast international expertise and network to develop and facilitate proposals, guide stewardship programs, and enhance agency-supported mobility.

“I am eager to apply my experience in the international arena at the Office of Global Initiatives, and I maintain a high level of enthusiasm for working to ensure that the University of Arizona (UA) continues to be a globally relevant university,” said Dr. Slack, Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Watershed Management, and Eco-Hydrology at the UA.

"Don Slack is emblematic of the faculty who have helped create the UA's global reputation,” said Mike Proctor, Vice President for Global Initiatives. “Don has been actively engaged abroad for decades in research that directly impacts people's livelihoods, and has helped develop a generation of young faculty worldwide with a strong affinity to the UA and our work."

As a world-renowned scholar and registered professional engineer, Dr. Slack has a demonstrated commitment to applying his ingenuity on the international scale. Having lived or worked in more than 30 countries— spanning from Southeast Asia to South America— Dr. Slack has a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to lead global projects.

“I have learned much from other countries and cultures about sustaining water resources and will continue to do so in this role, while also forging partnerships and mentoring international researchers in this field” said Dr. Slack.

Dr. Slack has taught at the UA since 1984, while actively maintaining his quest for global knowledge. Fluent in Thai, Dr. Slack was a Visiting Professor at Khon Kaen University in Thailand, where a year later he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Agricultural Engineering. He also has a spirited relationship with his counterparts in Mexico, where he served as a Visiting Professor at Chapingo Autonomous University, a federally-funded college devoted to agriculture.

A demonstration of his rich leadership, Dr. Slack acted as head of the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering department at the UA for nearly 20 years. During his esteemed career, he has advised dozens of graduate students on research required for their masters and doctorate degrees. Given this unique experience, Dr. Slack will also help develop stewardship programs for current and former students, visiting scholars, and other international collaborators in his new role—propelling the UA’s position as a leader on the global stage.

"We now have the opportunity to leverage Don's expertise and relationships to create additional opportunity for UA students and faculty abroad, and develop a new generation of sustaining relationships such as those Don has worked so hard to build. We are honored to welcome Don to the OGI," said Proctor.

Top picture, from left to right: Mike Proctor, Vice President for Global Initiatives; Dr. Donald C. Slack, Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Watershed Management, and Eco-Hydrology; Robert Cote, Assistant Director, Student Success at the UA Center for English as a Second Language