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JACK E. RECHCIGL, Ph.D.

Part IBiography

A career in science and service

Jack Rechcigl is a soil scientist whose career at the University of Florida has joined field research on soil fertility, fertilizer management, and water quality with the leadership of agricultural research and education centers.

Born
February 27, 1960, Washington, D.C.
Raised
Rockville, Maryland
Education
University of Delaware (B.S., 1982); Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (M.S., 1983; Ph.D., 1986)
Occupation
Professor, Center Director
Employer
University of Florida

Early life and education

John Edward "Jack" Rechcigl was born in 1960 in Washington, D.C., the son of Czech immigrant parents, Míla Rechcigl and Eva Edwards. He earned a Bachelor of Science in plant science from the University of Delaware in 1982, followed by a Master of Science (1983) and a Ph.D. (1986) in soil science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg. His doctoral research compared limiting and toxic factors in acid soils and their effects on alfalfa performance.

Dr. Jack Rechcigl in a UF/IFAS shirt at a hop research planting
At a UF/IFAS research planting.

Career timeline

Four decades of research and leadership

  1. 1982

    B.S. in Plant Science

    University of Delaware.

  2. 1983

    M.S. in Soil Science

    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Thesis on plowsole lime and fertilizer effects on alfalfa.

  3. 1986

    Ph.D. in Soil Science

    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Dissertation on limiting and toxic factors in acid soils.

  4. 1986

    Joins the University of Florida

    Assistant Professor, Range Cattle Research and Education Center, Ona, Florida.

  5. 1990

    Doctoral Research Faculty

    The UF Graduate School expands his role to direct doctoral dissertations; he also receives an Outstanding Achievement and Performance Award.

  6. 1991

    Tenure and Associate Professor

    Tenure effective July 1, 1991, and promotion to associate professor on August 9, at the Range Cattle Research and Education Center.

  7. 1995

    Agriculture and Environment series

    Soil Amendments and Environmental Quality and Soil Amendments: Impacts on Biotic Systems published by CRC Press/Lewis Publishers.

  8. 1996

    Professor

    Promoted to professor effective August 9, 1996, at the Range Cattle Research and Education Center.

  9. 1998–1999

    Fellow of ASA and SSSA

    Fellow, American Society of Agronomy (1998) and Soil Science Society of America (1999).

  10. 1999

    UF Research Foundation Professor

    One of eight faculty selected for the new University of Florida Research Foundation Professorship (1999–2001).

  11. 2000

    Associate Director, Gulf Coast REC

    Named Associate Director of the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center at Bradenton and Dover, effective March 3, 2000.

  12. 2001

    Director, Gulf Coast REC

    Becomes Director of the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center on March 16, 2001. Completes Harvard Graduate School of Education administrative training.

  13. 2001

    Administrative training at Harvard

    Completed Administrative Training for Directors, Chairs and Deans at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts (June 16–28, 2001), alongside the ESCOP/ACOP Leadership Development Program and LEAD IFAS training.

  14. 2002

    A new home for the Gulf Coast REC

    After the Bradenton center was slated for closure in 2001, growers, legislators and the center rallied to save it. In August 2002 UF/IFAS chose a 475-acre site at Balm for a new regional center.

  15. 2005

    New Gulf Coast REC opens at Balm

    The rebuilt regional center opens on 475 acres in Hillsborough County.

  16. 2006

    Founds the Florida Ag Expo

    More than 800 people attend the first Expo on December 8–9; it has been held annually since.

  17. 2020

    Interim Center Director, Fort Lauderdale REC

    On May 12 he took on leadership of the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, succeeding retiring director Robin Giblin-Davis, while continuing as director of the Gulf Coast REC.

  18. 2021

    Center Director, Fort Lauderdale REC

    His appointment as center director of the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center became permanent on July 8, 2021, thirteen months after he stepped in as interim director. He continues to lead both the Fort Lauderdale and Gulf Coast centers.

  19. 2025

    Groundbreaking, Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture

    UF/IFAS broke ground on November 7 on its applied AI center at the Gulf Coast REC, during the center's 100th-anniversary celebration. Dr. Rechcigl oversees its development.

Recognition

Recognition and professional service

Historical distinctions are listed with the year they were conferred.

Fellowships

  • 2003Fellow, Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences
  • 1999Fellow, Soil Science Society of America
  • 1998Fellow, American Society of Agronomy

Awards & honors

  • 1999Interdisciplinary Extension Team Award, University of Florida/IFAS
  • 1999Research Foundation Professor, University of Florida
  • 1999Presidential Citation for Outstanding Achievement, University of Delaware
  • 1994Research Award, University of the Philippines
  • 1992Research Honor Award, University of Florida
  • 1991Research Achievement Award, University of Florida
  • 1990Outstanding Achievement and Performance Award, Range Cattle Research and Education Center, UF/IFAS
  • 1990Recognized among the top 100 researchers on campus (FY 1989–90 awards), University of Florida
  • 1982Research Award, Sigma Xi
  • 1981Research Award, University of Delaware

Honorary recognition

  • 1999Honorary Professor, Czech Agricultural University, Prague

Professional societies

  • Since 2001Member, American Society for Horticultural Science
  • Since 1993Member, International Society of Soil Science
  • Since 1986Member, Soil and Crop Science Society of Florida
  • Since 1984Member, American Society of Agronomy
  • Since 1984Member, Soil Science Society of America

Professional service

  • Since 2002Editorial Board, International Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
  • 1999–2000Associate Editor, Soil and Crop Science Society of Florida
  • 1999–2001Fellows Committee, Soil Science Society of America
  • 1998Board of Directors, University of Cukurova Mediterranean International Center for Soils and Environmental Research, Turkey
  • 1997–2000Board of Directors, Soil and Crop Science Society of Florida
  • Since 1993Editor-in-Chief, Agriculture and Environment Book Series, CRC Press/Lewis Publishers
  • 1993–1997Associate Editor, Journal of Environmental Quality