Gary Brown Jackson has been named director of the Mississippi State University Extension Service beginning Jan. 1.

Jackson presently is interim associate vice president of academic affairs in the Provost’s Office at MSU.

The Extension Service provides research and educational information in the areas of agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, enterprise and community development, and family and consumer education.

Jackson earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural and extension education at Mississippi State. He holds a doctorate from Pennsylvania State University.

Jackson began his career as an agricultural educator for the Starkville School District. He has been a member of MSU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty since 1990.