The USDA Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment is this year’s guest for Mississippi State’s 2022 Carlton N. Owen Lecture Series.

Undersecretary Homer Wilkes will lead the Friday [April 29] public program. His presentation, titled “Climate Smart Agriculture and Conservation,” begins at 10 a.m. in the Tully Hall Auditorium in Thompson Hall.

Undersecretary Wilkes was appointed by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in February. His appointment is historic, as he is the first African American to hold the position. His work spans more than 40 years, including his service as director of the Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Restoration Division where he helmed ecosystem restoration after the 2010 BP oil spill. He also served as acting associate chief of USDA/Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Washington, D.C. His USDA tenure includes positions as state conservationist for Mississippi, chief financial officer for NRCS and more. He served as a naval supply officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves for 23 years. The Port Gibson native received his bachelor’s degree, MBA and doctoral degree in urban higher education from Jackson State University.