Curt Rom
Curt Rom, associate dean for international education, Graduate School and International Education
and University Professor of Horticulture, Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food
and Life Sciences. Rom has long been actively involved in honors education at the
university and led the Honors College as interim dean from 2014-15. As director of
the honors program in Bumpers College from 2011-15, Rom worked to expand honors course
offerings, created an honors student board, and launched the “Food for Thought” campus
lecture series. He introduced an outstanding honors thesis competition, an undergraduate
research grant program and a reception to recognize honors graduates.
Rom has mentored six honors students on projects ranging from the establishment of a campus community garden to organic orchard management, and has taught honors courses on horticulture, scientific reasoning and methods, and international agriculture. He also led study tours to Scotland, Great Britain, Italy, Belgium and China.
Rom’s current research focuses on farm production for local markets and sustainable and organic production of fruit crops. Rom has received numerous teaching awards, including, most recently, the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards Gold Medal Faculty Mentor (2012) and the Associated Student Government Outstanding Faculty Member Award (2013). He is a member of the U of A Teaching Academy. Rom is the proud father of two honors students, Zoë and Clio.