Congratulations to Dr. Craig Coates as he was selected to be the new associate dean for inclusive excellence starting September 1.
Coates, an instructional associate professor in the Department of Entomology, will equally apportion his time in this new role with his duties as associate department head for academic programs.
Coates will provide strategic leadership for efforts to diversify the college’s student and faculty populations. His responsibilities will include developing programming that encourages outstanding candidates from underrepresented groups to enroll in undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral programs in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. He will also lead efforts to assess improvements in diversity, inclusion, climate and equity in the college.
Coates joined the Texas A&M University faculty in 1998. A member of the Interdisciplinary Faculty of Biotechnology and the Interdisciplinary Faculty of Genetics, he has also directed research on the control of insect pests and vector-transmitted diseases.
Coates keeps a diverse group of undergraduates engaged in large courses, leads small seminars for graduates, and mentors graduate and undergraduate researchers. His teaching focuses on collaboration, peer review and high-impact experiences such as building waystations to support the monarch butterfly migration.
Students often cite Coates as one of their most inspiring professors. He was recently named a 21st Century Classroom Faculty Fellow, received the 2018 Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching from the Southwestern Branch, Entomological Society of America, and was previously honored as a Center for Teaching Excellence Montague Scholar.