Meet Dr Victor Gomes, NC State Extension Corn Agronomist

On August 1, 2026 Dr. Victor Gomes began his career with NC State University as the new Extension Corn Agronomist, filling the vacancy left by Dr. Ron Heiniger’s retirement in the spring of 2025.

Gomes comes to NC State and the state of North Carolina with a solid background in agronomy in three countries. Raised in Fortaeza, Brazil, only three degrees south of the equator, where the days are 12 hours long, 365 days a year. His university studies include a study abroad at the Newcastle University in the United Kingdom, he then received all his higher education in Brazil, with a BS degree in agronomy from Federal University of Ceara, a Masters in Plant Science from the Rural University of the Semi-Arid, and a PhD in Agronomy/Plant Science from the Federal University of Ceara as well as a PhD program as a visiting scholar at The Ohio State University, as well as doing a Post Doctorial program at OSU after being awarded his PhD.

Gomes comes to NC State from North Dakota State University where he led applied research and Extension programs.

Looking forward, Dr. Gomes plans to address the challenges corn growers face in North Carolina by looking at the past and seeing where updates might be needed. He’s also planning on updating the Corn Production Guide and addressing the agronomic challenges farmers are facing in the ever-changing climate and weather patterns. One of Gomes’ goals is to improve corn cropping systems to achieve consistent yields with a consistent Return on Investment in order for farmers to stay profitable. That will include collaborative research and Extension projects.

Dr. Gomes is looking forward to meeting North Carolina’s corn farmers, as well as being a resource for the state’s growers. Dr. Gomes’ email is victor.gomes@ncsu.edu, or may be reached at (919) 805-6620.