Dr. Grady Roberts is a professor of agricultural education and a Distinguished Teaching Scholar at UF. He has been with the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication (AEC) since 2008. He grew up in a military family and has lived all over the world, but considers Florida home. Roberts is a three-time alumnus of the University of Florida (UF), receiving his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in agricultural education.

Prior to coming to UF, Roberts earned professional experience for four years as an assistant professor at Texas A&M University, three years as a graduate teaching assistant at UF, and ten years as an agricultural education teacher in Hillsborough County, Florida.

Roberts is a social scientist working to improve human capacity in the context of food, agriculture, and natural resources. He leads an applied research program focused on improving the efficacy of educators, educational programs, and educational institutions. His research focuses primarily on the tertiary level (higher education), domestically and abroad. His research also includes the secondary level (TVET) and nonformal education institutions (extension) as it relates to informing practices at tertiary level institutions. His specific research questions are informed by stakeholder input and have included: identifying effective teaching practices, identifying methods for globalizing educational programs, assessing programmatic outcomes, and documenting outcomes of faculty development programs. His research is published in journals frequently read by advanced practitioners and other applied researchers. His research has been funded by competitive grants from the United States Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and by formula research funds from USDA/NIFA (Hatch).

Awards and Honors

Distinguished Educator Award, North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA), 2023.

Outstanding Teaching Award,  American Association for Agricultural Education, 2022.

Senior Fellow, Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, 2020

Distinguished Teaching Scholar, University of Florida, 2018.

Teaching Scholar Award, North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA), 2018.

Outstanding Leadership Award, Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, 2018.

Fellow, American Association for Agricultural Education, 2015.

Fellow, Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, 2014.

High Impact Research Award, UF/IFAS Agricultural Experiment Station, 2012.

Distinguished Researcher Award, American Association for Agricultural Education Southern Regions, 2012.

Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences Award - New Teacher Category, United States Department of Agriculture, 2010.

Recent Grants 

• Co-PI. (2021-2026). Fostering circularity and digitalization skills in future agri-food systems workforce (USDA/NIFA). PI, Ziynet Boz. ($749,764).
• PI. (2018-2021). Preparing organizational leaders in agriculture through innovative leadership case studies contextualized in agricultural disasters (USDA/NIFA). $747,980.
• Co-PI. (2015-2020). Support for Agricultural Research and Development Program in Haiti (USAID). PI, Rosalie Koenig. ($13,730,000).
• (2014-2015). Using Case Study Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) to Facilitate Critical Thinking in Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources (APLU). ($2,000).
• Co-PI. (2015-2018). Teaching Locally, Engaging Globally: Creating a Community of Global Thinking Fellows. $642,776). PI, Nicole Stedman. Co-PIs, T. Grady Roberts, Amy Harder, Lisa Lundy, James Lindner, Robert Strong, Kim E. Dooley, Cristopher Stripling.
• Co-PI. (2014-2016). Innovation for Agricultural Technical Education (USAID). ($124,550 subaward to Roberts). PI, Sandra Russo. Co-PI, Nikki Kernaghan.
• Co–PI. (2012–2014). Women’s leadership program in Paraguay. ($811,123). PI, Marta Hartmann. Co-PIs, T. Grady Roberts, Amy Harder, Sebastian Galindo, Hannah Carter, Ricky Telg, Suzanna Smith, Elena Bastidas.
• Co–PI. (2011–2013). Teaching locally, engaging globally: Increasing undergraduates’ knowledge of the international dimensions of climate change, food security, and childhood obesity. ($700,855). PI, Amy Harder. Co–PIs, T. Grady Roberts, Nicole L. P. Stedman, Katie Sieving, James R. Lindner, Kim E. Dooley, Robert, Strong, Jackie Bruce, Elizabeth Wilson, Wendy Warner.
• PI. (2009–2012). Teaching locally, engaging globally: Enhancing the undergraduate curriculum. ($459,770). Co–PIs, Nicole L. P. Stedman, Amy Harder, Maria Navarro, John C. Ricketts, Dennis W. Duncan, Kim E. Dooley, James R. Lindner.