Assistant Professor Kathleen Merrigan of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy was nominated by President Barack Obama for the position of deputy agriculture secretary, the White House said Monday.
Merrigan, who directs the Agriculture, Food and Environment Program and the Center for Agriculture, Food and Environment at the Friedman School, will hold the No. 2 position at the U.S. Department of Agriculture if confirmed by the Senate. The deputy agriculture secretary generally directs day-to-day operations, according to Reuters.
She is credited with helping to develop current regulations for organic food, and advocates of sustainable agriculture and food policy view her nomination as a promising sign of the Obama administration's commitment to sustainability.
As a staffer under the direction of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Merrigan assisted in drafting the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, which in part created a system of accreditation for organic foods.
Merrigan's research interests include sustainable development, negotiation theory, policy implementation and interest group politics.
"This is just a terrific honor for Dr. Merrigan, and I cannot think of a more qualified person to receive this nomination, in light of her extensive experience with the myriad of issues that the USDA handles," Friedman School Dean Eileen Kennedy said in a statement released through the Friedman School's public relations office.
Merrigan served as administrator of the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service from 1999 to 2001.
"She has trained many of the future leaders in our field, and we could not be more proud and honored that President Obama has chosen yet another Tufts expert to join his team," Kennedy said.
Merrigan received a Ph.D. in environmental planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has since been heavily involved in agricultural and environmental issues within the United States.
She worked on the Senate Agriculture Committee from 1987 to 1992 and served as a consultant for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization from 1994 to 1999.
"I have known Kathleen since her days as a graduate student at MIT," University President Lawrence Bacow told the Daily in an e-mail. "She is everything we hope our faculty will be: a world class scholar, an exemplary teacher and someone deeply engaged in helping to shape the world around us."
Her nomination follows the tapping of another Tufts faculty member for a position within the Obama administration.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday that Stephen Bosworth, dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, would oversee Washington's North Korea policy.
"We pride ourselves at Tufts on educating students to be active citizens," Bacow said. "The appointment of Kathleen Merrigan and Steve Bosworth to positions of leadership in Washington demonstrates that our faculty also value and embrace public service."
- Ben Gittleson contributed reporting to this article.
