Mark Kistler
Professor
Room #217
Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC)
2199 South Rock Road
Fort Pierce, FL 34945-3138
772-577-7327
mark.kistler@ifas.ufl.edu
Dr. Mark J. Kistler serves as the Center Director and Professor at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research & Education Center (UF/IFAS IRREC). He previously served as Dean for the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia from 2018 - 2024.
Dr. Kistler served as a faculty member at North Carolina State University from 2006-2018 where he was an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences. He also was an Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, University of Florida (2004-2006) and Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, Texas Tech University (2002-2004). Dr. Kistler received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Agriculture in Animal Science from the University of Florida and Ph.D. in Agricultural Education from Texas A&M University. He grew up in the Central Florida town of Winter Haven where he was involved in the beef cattle and citrus industries.
Dr. Kistler brings IRREC over 25 years of experience in higher education where he has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in planning and delivering nonformal education, advanced issues in extension education, introduction to Cooperative Extension, program development and evaluation, methods of technological change, adult education, volunteer management, and research methods, as well as coordinated and supervised the undergraduate Cooperative Extension and industry internship program.
Prior to entering academia, Dr. Kistler worked as an Extension Agent and County Extension Director with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service for over 10 years serving in three different counties (Okeechobee, Sarasota, and Hendry). He also has state-level Cooperative Extension Service experience in three states (Texas, Florida, and North Carolina) where he specialized in program development and evaluation and staff development.
Awards & Honors
- Honorary American FFA Degree, National FFA Organization, 2024
- Honorary State FFA Degree, Georgia FFA Association, 2023
- Inducted into the Academy of Fellows, American Association for Agricultural Education, 2016
- Outstanding Agricultural Educator Award, American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) Southern Region, 2016
- Honorary State FFA Degree, North Carolina FFA Association, 2015
- Distinguished Teacher Award, American Association for Agricultural Education, 2013
- 2012 Outstanding Research Presentation Award, American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) Annual Research Conference (S. Brierton, E. Wilson, M. Kistler, D. Jones, J. Flowers)
- 2011 - Inducted into the North Carolina State University Academy of Outstanding Teachers
- 2010-2011 North Carolina State University Outstanding Teacher Award
- Distinguished Teaching Award, American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) Southern Region, 2011
- Teacher Fellow Award, North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA), 2010
- Outstanding Faculty Adviser, NCSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), 2009-2010
- Professor Wuf Teaching Award, NCSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) AgriLife Council, 2010
- 2005 Research Article of the Year, Journal of Applied Communications. Doerfert, D.L., Robertson, J.T., Akers, C., & Kistler, M. (2005). Farm broadcaster knowledge and beliefs of biotechnology and genetically modified organisms. Journal of Applied Communications, 89(4), 55-68.
- Teacher of the Semester, Texas Tech Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT), Spring 2004
- Outstanding Doctoral Student, Department of Agricultural Education, Texas A&M University, 2002