BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State University Extension is pleased to welcome Ryan Lefers as the new Griffith Endowed Chair in Agriculture and Water Resources, South Dakota Water Resources Institute Director and SDSU Extension Water Management Specialist.
In his role, Lefers will focus on the South Dakota Water Resources Institute, which provides leadership on evolving water concerns and problems being faced by South Dakota citizens through research, educational opportunities for students and professionals and community outreach. He is based in Brookings.
“Ryan’s life and work experience are an excellent fit for SDSU Extension,” said Heather Gessner, SDSU Extension interim Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Director and Livestock Business Management Field Specialist. “Water is one of South Dakota's precious resources that affects every citizen in some manner. In this position, he will be able to incorporate those past experiences and guide best management practices across a broad range of water users.”
A native of Corsica, Lefers grew up working on his family’s dairy and mixed crop farm. He graduated from SDSU with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and biosystems engineering and a master’s in engineering. He earned his doctorate in environmental science and engineering from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.
Prior to joining SDSU Extension, Lefers co-founded three agriculture and water resource companies, including iyris (previously called Red Sea Farms), which develops solutions for growing food in hot climates.
Other work experiences include Wenck Associates (now Stantec) in Minnesota and an assistant professor position at Texas A&M. Lefers has conducted research at SDSU for his undergraduate and graduate degrees, and for graduate, post-doctorate and research scientist positions in Saudi Arabia.
Lefers looks forward to working with stakeholders across the state to make the most of South Dakota’s water resources.
“As the state's population increases and demand for water resources changes, having that experience from arid climates is really valuable as we also shift our design and thinking to account for water scarcity,” Lefers said.
For more information, contact Ryan Lefers, Griffith Endowed Chair in Agriculture and Water Resources, South Dakota Water Resources Institute Director and SDSU Extension Water Management Specialist.
