The Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources has welcomed Dr. Jim Cathey as an associate director. Cathey previously served as a professor and Extension wildlife specialist and associate department head for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service unit in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University.
“We are excited about the opportunity for Jim to work with us in supporting natural resource challenges through our research and engagement missions,” said Dr. Roel Lopez, IRNR director. “Jim brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the position, and we look forward to him growing our institute’s programs to the next level.”
Cathey is a regional and national expert in wildlife management, Extension outreach and programming, feral hog management and conservation biology.
“I am very pleased with this extraordinary opportunity to join the team at IRNR and contribute to its key areas of research, policy and engagement which are so important for conservation needs in Texas and the nation,” Cathey said. “I look forward to the opportunity to work on conservation challenges that landowners and conservation leaders face across state lines.”
“There is so much good work going on at IRNR, and I look forward to the chance of developing new information to better manage fish and wildlife resources and telling our story to put sound conservation into action.”
After receiving his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in wildlife and fisheries sciences at Texas A&M University, Cathey earned his doctorate in wildlife sciences at Texas Tech University in 1997. His current research and Extension interests include grassland restoration, northern bobwhite, wild pigs, Rio Grande wild turkey and urban deer.
For more information on his work, see Cathey’s staff page or follow him on Twitter.