New Yorkers become Texans, "I felt at home right away."
Moving from Ithaca, New York, to College Station, Texas, Drs. Patrick J. and Denise Stover have begun touring Texas A&M Research and Extension centers throughout Texas, "to get a good sense of what research is going and how we engage with our key stakeholders, including farmers and ranchers."
Patrick is the new vice chancellor and dean of Life Sciences. Recently empty-nesters, sending the last of their four children off to college, the couple decided this was the perfect time to try something new.
"We're pinching ourselves," says Denise, who is still working part-time for Cornell University. "It's been been a whirlwind."
Southwest Farm Press caught up with the Stovers at the Texas A&M Research Station at Halfway, Texas, where Denise says of Texans, "I just love the people. I felt at home right away. Everybody has their heart on their sleeve, and you know where you stand and they tell you what they think.
"We’ve seen vegetable producers down in Weslaco, and we’ve seen cattle, dairy, corn and cotton here, and from both places, with different climates and with the different challenges they are facing, their goal is always to produce the best product. Hard work is not an issue. It’s, 'Let’s work together.' Let’s make it great.'"
Patrick, who's primary objective is to be sure that Texas be the recognized leader, not only to the United States but for the world, on how agriculture can meet all of the demands that society places on it, says he and his wife agree on a lot of things, but one thing they "absolutely agree on," about the producers they've met, is the entrepreneurial spirit of Texas. "It's like no where I have ever been.
"And the optimism, despite a lot of the challenges, and the welcoming expressions that we’ve had from all Texans, has been very rewarding for us."
See New vice chancellor, dean aims to increase food quality, reduce diet-related chronic disease
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Wenwei Xu, professor of Corn Breeding and Genetics, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Station at Halfway, with Dr. Patrick Stover, new Texas A&M vice chancellor and dean of Life Sciences, visit at farm in Halfway, Texas.
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Xu, left, discusses research with Stover, right, as Stover tours the Halfway station. Stover is touring Texas A&M research facilities to get a first-hand look at the research being conducted throughout the state.
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Cotton growing at Halfway Research station.
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Drs. Denise and Patrick J. Stover, College Station, Texas, at Texas A&M's Research station in Halfway, Texas. The couple lived in New York for 20 years prior to moving to Texas. Patrick has a PhD in molecular biophysics while Denise's is in biochemistry.
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Denise and Patrick have four children: three grown boys and a daughter in college. A stay-at-home mom while the kids were growing up, Denise volunteered at the kids' schools, showing the students experiments, such as how to distract DNA from peas. "We had so much fun!" she says.
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Cotton growing among cover at Halfway Research station.
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Bordovsky, left, Stover, and Rosson, right.
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Corn and cotton growing at the Halfway Research station.
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Aukerman, Stover, back left, visit as Moore, Rosson, Stover, and Bordovsky discuss research being conducted at the Halfway station.
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James Bordovsky, senior Research Scientist and Agricultural Engineer, Halfway, left, discusses research projects at the farm, with Parr Rosson, interim director, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, College Station, center, and Dr. Stover.
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Left to right: Wenwei Xu; Dr. Patrick J. Stover; Cady Auckerman, assistant vice chancellor for Advancement, Texas A&M Agriculture and Life Sciences, College Station; Dr. Denise Stover, Patrick Stover's wife and research associate, division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University; and Dr. Jaroy Moore, resident director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Lubbock.