Jerry Baron
Professor Emeritus
Department of Plant Biology
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Biography
Dr. Jerry J. Baron is the Executive Director of the IR-4 Project, a cooperative program in the United States of the state agricultural experimental stations, US Department of Agriculture, growers/commodity organizations, the crop protection industry and the US Environmental Protection Agency. The IR-4 Project is national in scope and it conducts research at 28 field research farms and 5 analytical laboratories to facilitate the registration of conventional chemical pesticides and biopesticides on specialty crops and specialty uses. As Executive Director, Dr. Baron is responsible for the day to day operations of the IR-4 Project with an operation budget of approximately $18 million US dollars and 125 full time scientists.
Dr. Baron has served as the IR-4 Project's Executive Director since September 2006. He started with IR-4 in January, 1986 as IR-4's coordinator of weed science research. From 2000 to 2002, Dr. Baron split his duties with the IR-4 Project and the administration of the IR-4 Project's host institution, Rutgers University. During this period he was Associate Executive Dean of Cook College, Rutgers University. Dr. Baron returned full time to the IR-4 Project in July 2002 when he was named Associate Director in 2002.
In 1998, Dr. Baron co-authored the second edition of Food and Feed Crops of the United States along with G.M. Markle and B.A. Schneider. This book is the framework of the crop grouping in North America. Dr. Baron has authored nearly one hundred peer reviewed journal articles and several book chapters.
Dr. Baron has served the scientific community in various aspects participating in leadership roles in multiple organizations. He was President of the Northeastern Weed Science Society in 2008-2009. He was elected as Fellow of this organization in January 2015. He was Chair of the Organization Committee of the first Global Minor Use Summit. He currently is a delegate on the international Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues serves on the editorial board of Outlooks of Pest Management and Board of Directors of the IPM Voice.
Dr. Baron received his Ph.D. in Horticulture with emphasis on weed management from North Carolina State University and earned his M.S. and B.S. degrees from The Ohio State University with focus on Horticulture and Pest Management.
He is married and father of three young adults. He is also a competitive runner and certified running coach who has completed 45 full marathons. Other hobbies include soccer referee and gardening.