     The Associate Director of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s southeast research and extension district has been named the new director of the Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff.Â
John Westra starts September 1st with UNL associate professor of agronomy and horticulture Mitchell Stephenson the associate director. Stephenson has been interim director since March/
Westra joined UNL in 2017 after more than 15 years as a professor of ag economics and agribusiness at Louisiana State University. His research has focused on production, natural resources, and environmental economics in the ag sector.
Westra says the Panhandle Center and two sisters play a critical role in the mission of UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources for research relevant to the needs, concerns. and issues of our state’s farmers. ranchers, and community members.
The Panhandle Center houses 13 IANR faculty in a wide range of disciplines, most of whom hold joint appointments in research and extension.