AMES, Iowa — Andrew Manu, Iowa State University associate professor of agronomy, has been named the George Washington Carver Chair effective April 1.
"As George Washington Carver rightfully said, 'No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving something behind.' Dr. Carver left a legacy for humanity through his impact on the scientific community, farmers, policy makers and the entire world. It is a pleasure for me to honor this legacy as the inaugural George Washington Carver Chair," said Manu.
"My vision is to work collaboratively with faculty, staff and students, and the community as a whole to use this generous endowment in pursuit of Carver's dream through diversity enhancement at Iowa State, promotion of excellence in teaching and research in natural resource management and commitment to service to humanity," he added.
The first endowed faculty position honoring George Washington Carver in the nation is named for the Iowa State alumnus and the university's first black faculty member. Carver earned bachelor's and master's degrees in 1894 and 1896 and joined Tuskegee University in 1897 where he became renowned for his research and extension efforts.
Manu, as holder of the Carver Chair, will conduct an academic program in sciences related to agronomy and the bioeconomy and is expected to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses. He will serve a five-year term as chair.
Manu also is an Iowa State alumnus. He earned master's and doctorate degrees in soil morphology and genesis from Iowa State in 1979 and 1984. A native of Ghana, Manu earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture from the University of Ghana in 1975. He joined the Iowa State faculty in 2001 after working for Texas A&M University, the U.S. Agency for International Development in Niger and Alabama A&M University.
A trust created by Iowa State agronomy alumnus Raymond Baker provided $1 million for the George Washington Carver Chair combined with appropriations from the State of Iowa of $250,000 each in fiscal years 2008 and 2009. The gift creating the Carver Chair is part of Campaign Iowa State: With Pride and Purpose, the university's $800 million fundraising effort. More than $668 million in gifts and future commitments for facilities and student, faculty and programmatic support have been made to Campaign Iowa State.