MADISON, WI, October 15, 2008–The Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) recognized the following individuals at the 2008 Awards Ceremony on Oct. 6 during their Annual Meetings in Houston. The annual awards are presented for outstanding contributions to crop science through education, national and international service, and research.
- Palle Pedersen, Iowa State University -- ASA–CSSA–SSSA Early Career Professional Award. Palle Pedersen is an assistant professor and soybean extension agronomist in the Department of Agronomy at Iowa State University. Dr. Pedersen received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen, Denmark, another M.S. degree in Agricultural Economics from University of London, England, and his Ph.D. degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison. His program's overall goal is to identify and solve soybean production problems to improve the economic well-being of farmers.
- Richard Hannan, USDA-ARS, Pullman, WA -- Frank N. Meyer Medal for Plant Genetic Resources. Richard Hannan, an independent plant genetic resource conservation consultant, was a Horticulturist for the USDA, ARS, Western Regional Plant Introduction Station located in Pullman, WA on the campus of Washington State University. Dr. Hannan received a B.S. in botany from UC Berkeley, and M.S. and Ph.D. from Washington State University. His program focused mainly on acquisition, maintenance and conservation of genetic diversity of a wide range of plant taxa. Other research focused on the role of lipids in the seed aging, and evaluation and development of core collections. He collected germplasm on numerous expeditions in many countries.
- Crystal Rose-Fricker, Pure-Seed Testing, Inc. -- NCCPB Genetics and Plant Breeding Award for Industry. Crystal Rose-Fricker is president of Pure-Seed Testing, Inc., vice-president and secretary/treasurer for Rose Agri-Seed, Inc., corporate secretary and treasurer for HybriGene, Inc. Ms. Rose-Fricker received B.S. and M.S. degrees from Oregon State University. Her primary research activities involve developing cool-season turfgrasses with improved disease resistance and resistance to abiotic stresses, including salt, drought and herbicides. She serves on the board of advisors for the seed division of The Scotts Company.
- Lowell E. Moser, USDA-ARS, University of Nebraska -- Monsanto Crop Science Distinguished Career Award. Lowell Moser is a Professor Emeritus of the Agronomy and Horticulture Department at the University of Nebraska. He received B.S. and Ph.D. from The Ohio State University and M.S. from Kansas State University. His teaching and research career was in the area of forage and range physiology and management. Dr. Moser has served on the CSSA and ASA Boards, as an Agronomy Journal associate and technical editor, and has edited two monographs. Dr. Moser has been the President of CSSA, ASA, and International President of Gamma Sigma Delta. The Monsanto Crop Science Distinguished Career Award is supported by the Monsanto Company. The award is presented to a crop scientist who has exhibited an outstanding record of service during a minimum of 25 years.
- Jeremy W. Singer, USDA-ARS National Soil Tilth Laboratory -- Young Crop Scientist Award. Jeremy Singer is a Research Agronomist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service located in Ames Iowa at the National Soil Tilth Laboratory. He received B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell University. His research quantifies water and radiation interactions on plant ecology in systems with varying tillage intensity, organic amendments, and cover crops. Dr. Singer has served as associate and technical editors for Agronomy Journal and has been active in the Crop Science Society of America and American Society of Agronomy. This award is designed to recognize a scientist who has made an outstanding contribution in any area of crop science by the age of 37. Specifically, the recipient is cited for teaching abilities, effectiveness in extension and service activities, significance and originality of basic and applied research, and effectiveness in administrative areas.
- Roch E. Gaussoin, University of Nebraska-Lincoln -- Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award. Roch Gaussoin is a professor of agronomy and horticulture and is an extension turfgrass specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Gaussoin received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from New Mexico State University and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University. His research program focuses on turfgrass weed management and the management and construction of golf greens. He provides state-wide support of turfgrass extension programs and serves as the state-wide coordinator for the master gardener program. Dr. Gaussoin served as an editor for the International Turfgrass Research Society Journal from 1998 to 2005. He currently serves as an associate editor for crop science and the acquisitions editor for Applied Turfgrass Science. He has served as the board representative and is the Past Chair of the Turfgrass Science division of the Crop Science Society of America.The Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award is supported by a fund developed by Division C-5 Turfgrass Science. The award is presented in recognition of significant career contributions in turfgrass science.
- John Ryan, ICARDA -- International Service in Crop Science Award. John Ryan is soil scientist at one of the CGIAR centers, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), based in Syria. He received B.Agr.Sc., Ph.D., and D.Sc. degrees from University College Dublin, Ireland, and M.S. from the University of Arizona. After post-doctoral studies in Arizona, he spent most of his career in the Middle East, as professor of soil science at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon and the University of Nebraska based in Morocco, and throughout North Africa and West and Central Asia while at ICARDA since 1992. His research is mainly on dryland soil fertility, nutrient dynamics, fertilizer use efficiency, and laboratory management and quality control. He serves on the Editorial Boards of European Journal of Agronomy, Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems and several regional journals.
- Jerome H. Cherney, Cornell University -- Crop Science Extension Education Award. Jerry Cherney is the E.V. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Crop and Soil Science Department at Cornell University. He also is the New York State extension forage crop specialist. Dr. Cherney received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Wisconsin and his Ph.D. degree from the University of Minnesota. His program focuses equally on forage crops for dairy cattle and on grass pellets for bioheat. Dr. Cherney served as an associate editor for Crop Science and currently serves as a senior editor for Forage and Grazinglands e-journal.
- Kenneth J. Boote -- Crop Science Research Award. Kenneth Boote is a Professor in the Agronomy Department at the University of Florida. He received a B.S. degree from Iowa State University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Purdue University. His research focuses on measuring and modeling crop growth and physiology in response to climatic, management, and genetic factors. He has served as associate editor for Agronomy Journal and Crop Science, as well as Division Chair for A-1, C-2, and Software Scene. He is active in the Tri-Societies and the Biological Systems Simulation Group.
- Stephen C. Mason, University of Nebraska -- Crop Science Teaching Award. Stephen C. Mason is professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture at the University of Nebraska. He received a B.S. degree in Agricultural Education at the University of Missouri, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in agronomy at Purdue University. His teaching and research programs are in the area of crop management, and he has broad international experience in Africa and Latin America. Teaching efforts have emphasized resource efficient crop management of commodity and specialty grain crops. Dr. Mason has been active in the American Society of Agronomy and North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture.
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For more information on the recipients or on the awards presented, please view the ASA-CSSA-SSSA Awards Program PDF online, https://www.acsmeetings.org/2008/files/awards-08.pdf. Photos of the recipients are available to view and download at: www.crops.org/awards/recipients. For additional assistance, contact Sara Uttech, 608-268-4948, suttech@crops.org.
The Crop Science Society of America (founded in 1955) is a scientific society comprised of 5,000+ members who advance the discipline of crop science by acquiring and disseminating information about crops in relation to seed genetics and plant breeding; crop physiology; crop production, quality, and ecology; crop germplasm resources; and environmental quality.