In this episode of The Garden State Microbiome, we are honored to host Dr. Robert M. Goodman, a distinguished plant biologist and virologist whose career has significantly influenced the fields of plant pathology, microbial ecology, and agricultural biotechnology. Dr. Goodman served as the Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Rutgers University from 2005 to 2020 and was named University Professor and Executive Dean Emeritus in 2020 (deenr.rutgers.edu).

Dr. Goodman's academic journey began at Johns Hopkins University, followed by a B.S. in Plant Sciences and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Cornell University. His early research led to the discovery and characterization of Geminiviruses, the first-known circular, single-stranded DNA viruses in plants. Transitioning to the private sector, he became Vice President and later Executive Vice President for Research and Development at Calgene, Inc., a pioneer in plant biotechnology.

Returning to academia, Dr. Goodman joined the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he and his team conducted groundbreaking work in microbial ecology, co-developing approaches that laid the foundation for the field now known as metagenomics. At Rutgers, he not only led global agricultural initiatives, such as the Collaborative Crop Research Program funded by the McKnight Foundation, but also prioritized the growth of microbiome sciences. As Executive Dean, he initiated strategic faculty hiring across multiple departments to build excellence in microbiome research, helping to position Rutgers as a leader in this rapidly evolving field.

Join us as Dr. Goodman reflects on his multifaceted career, discusses the evolution of plant-microbe research, shares insights into microbiome science at Rutgers, and explores the future of sustainable agriculture and global food security.