After a nationwide search, Iowa State University officials have appointed John Lawrence as vice president of Iowa State’s extension and outreach programs. Lawrence was named interim vice president in March 2017 after the appointment of Cathann Kress to a position with Ohio State University. Before becoming interim vice president, Lawrence was associate dean in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of extension and outreach. He will begin the permanent vice president role immediately. Lawrence holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science and a master’s degree in economics, both from Iowa State, and a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri. He joined Iowa State as an assistant professor of economics in 1991, serving as an extension livestock economist. He also has served as assistant director of the Agriculture Experiment Station, and director of the Iowa Beef Center. Lawrence also led the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, established in 2013 to develop science-based approaches for reducing the level of nutrients delivered to Iowa waterways and the Gulf of Mexico.