David Cook
President, Iowa State University
David Cook is the 17th president of Iowa State University and a member of the Board of Directors of the World Food Prize Foundation. Prior to assuming the presidency at Iowa State on March 1, 2026, Cook served as the 15th president of North Dakota State University (NDSU), a land-grant research university in Fargo, North Dakota. During his tenure at NDSU, Cook strengthened the university’s land-grant mission by stabilizing enrollment, increasing student retention and graduation rates, expanding research funding, and building community and industry partnerships that advanced innovation and economic development.
Cook brings an extensive track record of academic leadership and a deep appreciation for the role of research universities in advancing global food security. His experience strengthening academic excellence and strategic partnerships supports the Foundation’s mission to catalyze collaboration and develop practical solutions to end hunger worldwide.
An Ames native and proud Iowa State alumnus, Cook earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and speech communication from Iowa State University and both a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in organizational communication from the University of Kansas. Before his presidency at North Dakota State, he held several senior leadership roles at the University of Kansas, including vice chancellor for public affairs and economic development, and served in administrative positions at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City.
Throughout his academic career, Cook has been principal or co-principal investigator on nearly $11 million in externally funded grants, published nearly 70 articles, book chapters and abstracts, and taught more than 25 courses in areas such as health policy and management, organizational communication, and strategic marketing. His leadership reflects a commitment to research, innovation, and the land-grant mission at major public universities.