As Resident Director of Research at Overton for the past 30 years, he has provided the fiscal, managerial and scientific guidance and support for outstanding multi-discipline research contributing to scientific discoveries and technology development to support Texas agriculture in the areas of horticulture, forages and beef cattle. In addition to duties at Overton, Dr. Long has completed numerous specific assignments for the Director's Office in several areas, e.g. strategic planning, beef cattle research, administrative issues, etc. Dr. Long conducted and published pioneer research in systems analysis of beef cattle production and the evaluation of selection alternatives and mating plans on the basis of total efficiency of production. He has published estimates of heterosis and breed effects on economically important characters of beef cattle. Dr. Long supervised and conducted a major research beef cattle crossbreeding project which yielded and published estimates of genetic parameters for beef cattle lifetime traits. He also collaborated with several colleagues to develop a system-based decision aid model for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Agriculture Division.