Richard 'Dick' Straub is receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Wisconsin-College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. 'He's one of the most influential figures in the UW-Department of Biological Systems Engineering,' said Troy Runge, who nominated Straub for the award. Runge is the current chairman of the department.
Dick Straub accepts a gift in 2019 from Mike Peters, director of the UW–Agricultural Research stations, during Straub’s retirement party. His many technical contributions to agribusinesses holds true to the 'Wisconsin Idea' and to the University of Wisconsin's land-grant mission, Troy Runge says.
Dick Straub, then-senior associate dean of the UW-College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, talks in 2018 with faculty, staff and members of the Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association Board at the group's annual picnic, held near the UW-Marshfield Agricultural Research Station.
annual picnic at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station near Marshfield, Wis., Wednesday, July 11, 2018.
MADISON, Wis. – Richard “Dick” Straub is receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Wisconsin-College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
“I’ve had a long history with UW – 54 years, in fact,” he said.
He originally planned to major in chemistry. But driving on his way to the UW-Student Orientation, Advising and Registration day – SOAR, the then-incoming freshman had a change of heart. One of his high school teachers had told him about a relative who worked for Allis-Chalmers, the equipment manufacturer based in West Allis, Wisconsin.
“I thought that job sounded interesting and I always liked the farm so I decided to be an agricultural engineer,” he said.
Straub was raised on a 45-cow dairy farm near Brooklyn, Wisconsin. He and his wife, Margaret Straub, currently live there.
He earned bachelor, masters and doctorate degrees – all at UW. In 1979 he was named an assistant professor in the university’s agricultural-engineering department – now the UW-Biological Systems Engineering Department. He continued his career at UW until his retirement in 2019.
Straub taught courses in agricultural power systems and machinery as well as in construction-equipment management, pesticide-application equipment, freshman and senior design courses and engineering-career management, said Troy Runge, who nominated Straub for the Distinguished Service Award.
Runge is the department chair of the UW-Biological Systems Engineering Department, a position that Straub also held at UW. Straub chaired the department twice – from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2007 to 2013.
Prior to a gift in 1997 from the estate of Hjalmar “Ham” Bruhn, emeritus professor of agricultural engineering at UW, the UW-Biological Systems Engineering Department was in danger of being eliminated. Straub said Neal Jorgensen, then dean of the UW-College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, enlisted Straub to help strengthen the department.
“I worked to double undergraduate enrollment,” he said. “We also added faculty and worked to renovate the agricultural-engineering building. I felt ownership of the department, but I did things with the help of good people around me.”
At the time he also was serving as chairman of the UW-Agricultural Research stations committee. After some soul-searching, he said, he left the engineering department to become the director of the UW-Agricultural Research stations. In that position he worked with federal, state, county and city officials to modernize the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station.
“His efforts led to the construction of a world-renowned dairy-heifer and regenerative-agriculture research facility in the Marshfield area,” said Mike Peters, who currently serves as the director of UW-Agricultural Research stations.
Straub provided leadership to modernize the research greenhouses on the UW-Madison campus. The greenhouses are home to more than 400 research and teaching projects annually, Peters said.
Straub also sought private partnerships to modernize the Kemp Natural Resources Station near Woodruff, Wisconsin.
“His guidance and leadership led the Kemp station to becoming a premier site for housing researchers working in the natural environments of Wisconsin’s north woods,” Peters said.
When UW – including the research stations – faced budget cuts from 2015 to 2017, Straub built consensus from stakeholders about how to appropriately manage them.
“His input led to key consolidation of the agricultural-research-station operations and a more-focused approach to delivering needed research services and outreach efforts,” Peters said. “He’s a mentor in every sense of the word. He continually seeks to build up everyone around him. He takes personal pride in seeing everyone – students, staff and faculty colleagues – find success.”
Runge said, “When we had budget cuts or other bad news, he was able to convey the news in a straightforward but compassionate way.”
Straub said during the time of budget reductions he borrowed from his problem-solving skills as an engineer – skills he used every day.
Straub also served as senior associate dean of the agriculture college. In that position he managed faculty personnel issues – including hiring, promotion, tenure and post-tenure activities, compensation and retention.
He continues to work with AgrAbility of Wisconsin, which provides assistance to farmers living with a farm injury, disability or limitation. The organization is a partnership between the UW-Division of Extension and Easter Seals Wisconsin.
Runge said he nominated Straub for the Distinguished Service Award for his numerous contributions.
“He’s one of the most influential figures in the UW-Biological Systems Engineering Department,” he said. “He shaped the department, mentored many careers and inspired many students. He has given and continues to give back to the college in so many ways. I felt he should be nominated as a small thank-you for all he has done.”
Straub said, “It’s a bit humbling. It’s nice to know people said, ‘Yes, you made a difference.’ I think we all hope we can make a difference.”
The award will be presented at the 2022 Honorary Recognition Awards Banquet and Ceremony to be held beginning at 5 p.m. Oct. 13, with dinner beginning at 6 p.m., at Varsity Hall, Union South, 1308 W. Dayton St., on the UW-Madison campus. Cost is $50 per person. Visit uwmadison.eventsair.com/22honrec/reg/Site/Register to register.
Visit cals.wisc.edu for more information.
This is an original article written for Agri-View, a Lee Enterprises agricultural publication based in Madison, Wisconsin. Visit AgriView.com for more information.
Lynn Grooms writes about the diversity of agriculture, including the industry’s newest ideas, research and technologies as a staff reporter for Agri-View based in Wisconsin.
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Richard 'Dick' Straub is receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Wisconsin-College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. 'He's one of the most influential figures in the UW-Department of Biological Systems Engineering,' said Troy Runge, who nominated Straub for the award. Runge is the current chairman of the department.
Dick Straub accepts a gift in 2019 from Mike Peters, director of the UW–Agricultural Research stations, during Straub’s retirement party. His many technical contributions to agribusinesses holds true to the 'Wisconsin Idea' and to the University of Wisconsin's land-grant mission, Troy Runge says.
Dick Straub, then-senior associate dean of the UW-College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, talks in 2018 with faculty, staff and members of the Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association Board at the group's annual picnic, held near the UW-Marshfield Agricultural Research Station.
annual picnic at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station near Marshfield, Wis., Wednesday, July 11, 2018.
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