The University of Nevada, Reno has appointed Mike Teglas and Todd Steury as department chairs in the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources, tapping two accomplished researchers and educators to lead programs central to the University’s teaching, research and outreach mission.

Teglas and Steury share a commitment to expanding academic programs that respond to workforce needs, improve quality of life in Nevada communities and broaden access to education for nontraditional students through close collaboration with the College’s Extension, Experiment Station and Extended Studies units.

“These appointments reflect the momentum we’re building in the College,” said William Payne, dean of the College. “Both Mike and Todd bring a deep commitment to students, impactful research and collaboration, and together they will strengthen the College’s role in serving Nevada and the region.”

Building partnerships to support Nevada’s agricultural and ranching communities

When Teglas talks about animal health, he starts with impact on ecosystems and on Nevada’s ranching communities. That perspective has shaped his two decades as a professor and researcher at the University and now guides his work as chair of the Department of Agriculture, Veterinary & Rangeland Sciences.

Teglas assumed the chair role in July, following the retirement of longtime chair Barry Perryman. He joined the University in 2006 as an assistant professor and veterinary microbiologist focused on tick-borne diseases affecting livestock, building a career that blends teaching, research and applied problem-solving for Nevada agriculture.

As chair, Teglas is focused on expanding the department’s academic footprint, launching high-demand standalone majors, laying the groundwork for a future veterinary school and increasing hybrid and online offerings to better serve rural and working students. He is also positioning the department as a key state partner in biosecurity planning and grant development for animal disease outbreaks.

“This role isn’t about administration for its own sake,” Teglas said. “It’s about building a department that prepares the next generation of scientists and practitioners, supports Nevada’s producers and positions the University for what comes next.”

Early in his tenure, Teglas collaborated on a regional research effort addressing epizootic bovine abortion, a devastating disease for cattle producers in foothill and mountainous regions of California, Northern Nevada and southern Oregon. That work became a defining chapter of his career, culminating in the development of a vaccine now used by producers across Nevada.

His research also includes a five-year ecological study of relapsing fever, a tick-borne disease affecting humans in the eastern Sierra and Nevada, as well as work on infectious diseases in wildlife and pollinators, expanding both departmental expertise and the state’s capacity to respond to animal health threats.

Teglas earned a bachelor’s degree and doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Washington State University before working in private practice and as a veterinarian at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. He later completed a doctorate in comparative pathology at the University of California, Davis.

Strengthening Extension partnership to deliver natural resource research to Nevada agencies

As chair of the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Science, Todd Steury, a wildlife ecologist and academic leader, brings a global research perspective and a strong focus on public engagement and Extension.

Steury comes to the University from Auburn University, where he served as associate dean of academic affairs and a professor in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment. His research spans carnivore ecology and conservation, as well as quantitative ecology, with projects ranging from black bear research in Alabama to jaguar studies in Paraguay. He brings extensive experience in research collaboration, curriculum development and interdisciplinary outreach.

As chair, Steury plans to expand academic offerings to better reflect regional needs, strengthen online programs, support newer initiatives and grow interdisciplinary collaboration across campus and with public and private agencies. A central priority, he said, is strengthening ties between faculty research and Extension so that research findings directly benefit communities across Nevada.

“I have long admired the work being done at the University of Nevada, Reno,” Steury said. “I’m excited to work closely with faculty and students to build strong partnerships across campus and beyond, and to develop a clear, collaborative direction for the department’s future.”

Steury has taught a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses, including data analysis, helping students develop the skills to analyze and interpret scientific data.

Steury earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental conservation from the University of Colorado Boulder, a master’s degree in wildlife management from the University of Idaho and a doctorate in ecology from Indiana State University.