Patrick Wechter has been named interim director of Clemson University’s Sandhill Research and Education Center in Columbia, effective Nov. 1, 2026. Wechter succeeds Kathy Coleman, who had served as Sandhill’s director since 2015.
“I am grateful for Dr. Coleman’s leadership and her commitment to Clemson and the communities we serve,” said Carlyle Brewster, interim associate dean for research and director of the Clemson Experiment Station. “She has served Sandhill with dedication for more than a decade, supporting the people and partnerships that make the center’s work possible.”
Wechter will continue to serve as director of the Coastal Research and Education Center in Charleston while leading Sandhill on an interim basis.
“Dr. Wechter’s experience leading the Coastal REC and his background in agricultural research will serve him well in this interim role,” Brewster said. “I appreciate his willingness to take on this additional responsibility, and I know his leadership will help provide continuity at Sandhill during the transition.”
Wechter brings a background in plant pathology and vegetable crop research to the interim appointment. Before joining Clemson, he spent 18 years as a research plant pathologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in plant pathology from Clemson.
Established in 1926, Sandhill has evolved from an agricultural experiment station serving a largely rural region into a center for research and education in agribusiness, natural resources and environmental stewardship. Its work spans specialty crops, forestry, wildlife habitat and cover crops.
“Research has the greatest impact when it addresses the challenges people face in the field,” Wechter said. “I look forward to working with the Sandhill team and learning from the farmers, landowners and communities they serve as we continue to connect Clemson’s research with South Carolina’s needs.”
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