News Release

MADISON, WI, AUGUST 24, 2011 -- The Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) will recognize the following individuals at the 2011 Awards Ceremony during their Annual Meeting on Oct. 16-19 in San Antonio, TX, www.acsmeetings.org.

• Schuyler Korban, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Crop Science Research Award. Schuyler S. Korban is a professor of molecular genetics and biotechnology in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  He received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the American University, and a Ph.D. degree from the University of Nebraska.  His research program deals with functional genomics, biotechnology, biotic stress, reproductive growth, and metabolic engineering.   Dr. Korban serves as Editor-in-Chief of Plant Molecular Biology Reporter and of PCTOC: Plant, Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture, and as an associate editor for The Plant Genome, Plant Breeding, and Tropical Plant Biology; and he is a member of the editorial board of Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences.  He has been active in the CSSA, American Society of Horticultural Science, NACTA, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and International Society for Horticultural Science. 

• Kevin Donnelly, Kansas State University - Crop Science Teaching Award. Kevin Donnelly is professor of agronomy at Kansas State University. He received a B.S. and M.S. from Kansas State and a Ph.D. from Colorado State University. His primary focus is crop science teaching and student service. Dr. Donnelly has served as ASA Resident Education Division chair and national advisor for SASES, and on the Collegiate Crops Contest Committee. He has been the crops team coach and agronomy club advisor at both Kansas State and Oklahoma State, and served as Assistant Dean in the College of Agriculture at Kansas State for 10 years.

• Jack Fenwick, Colorado State University - Seed Science Award. Jack R. Fenwick is coordinator of the Resident Instruction Program and associate professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University. He received his BS degree from Purdue University with a double major in agronomy and agricultural education. He taught high school biology and agricultural education in Remington, Indiana and received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in agronomy from Purdue University. His primary teaching responsibilities include teaching the introductory crop management course along with co-teaching courses in advanced crop and soil management systems and tropical crop and soil management systems. He and a team of seed scientists have developed seed science courses offered through continuing education. Dr. Fenwick is also the advisor to Colorado State University’s Agronomy Club and has served as chair of the ASA Division A-la. His continued excellence in working with students has been recognized as the outstanding teacher in the College of Agriculture, the outstanding advisor in the college and the university, the Distinguished Service Award of Colorado State University, the Agronomic Resident Education Award, and the Crop Science Teaching Award.

• Mohan Saxena, ICARDA - CSSA Honorary Membership. Mohan Saxena is an Emeritus Assistant Director General, and now senior advisor to the Director General, of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). He has also served ICARDA as the Head of Cereals and Food Legume Improvement Program and the Director of Research. Dr Saxena received his Ph.D. degree in agronomy from Indian Agricultural Research Institute and his Dr.Agri. degree in plant nutrition from University of Hohenheim, Germany. His research has focused on crop improvement and management in the dry areas. He is the executive secretary of the International Commission on Dryland Development.
   
• Mary-Dell Chilton, Sygenta Biotechnology Inc. - CSSA Presidential Award. Mary-Dell Chilton is a Distinguished Science Fellow at Syngenta Biotechnology Inc. She began her corporate career in 1983 with CIBA-Geigy Corporation. Her tenure has spanned both research and administrative roles, including Vice President, Agricultural Biotechnology. She is the author of more than 100 scientific publications. While on faculty at Washington State University in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Dr. Chilton led a groundbreaking research study that produced the first transgenic plants. Her current research is directed towards improving the technology for introducing new genes into plants.

• Chad Godsey, Oklahoma State University - Early Career Professional Award. Chad Godsey is an associate professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Oklahoma State University. He received a B.S. in agricultural business and plant and soil science from Colorado State University, a M.S. and Ph.D. in agronomy from Kansas State University. Dr. Godsey’s extension and research efforts are focused on oilseed cropping systems with an emphasis in tillage and crop rotation. He serves as an assocatie editor for Agronomy Journal and Peanut Science. He is active in ASA-CSA-SSSA and the American Peanut Research and Education Society.

• Bikram Gill, Kansas State University - Frank N. Meyer Medal for Plant Genetic Resources. Bikram Gill is a University Distinguished Professor and Director of the Wheat Genetic and Genomic Resources Center in the department of Plant Pathology at Kansas State University.  He received B.S. and M.S. degrees from Punjab University and Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Gill is an authority on wheat genetics, cytogenetics, genomics and chromosome engineering for crop improvement. Dr. Gill is a Fellow of the ASA, the CSSA, and the American Phytopathological Society.

• Jack D. Fry, Kansas State University - Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award. Jack D. Fry is a professor in the Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources at Kansas State University.  He received a B.S. degree from Kansas State University, M.S. from the University of Maryland, and Ph.D. from Colorado State University.  Dr. Fry teaches courses in turfgrass culture and golf course and sports turf operations.  His research is focused on responses of turfgrasses to environmental stresses and maintaining turf quality with reduced pesticide inputs. 

• Rajinder Malhotra, International Center for Agricultural Research - International Service in Crop Science Award. Rajinder Malhotra is senior chickpea breeder at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas. He has helped develop 209 new varieties of chickpea, lentil, fababean, pea and mungbean, released in 42 countries. He also leads a Nurseries Program that assembles and distributes improved materials to breeders in over 60 countries.Dr Malhotra has more than 250 publications, has supervised 10 graduate students from seven countries; and helped establish a number of regional and international research networks.

• Palle Pedersen, Syngenta - Young Crop Scientist Award. Palle Pedersen is a seed care technology assess lead with Syngenta. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark, another M.S. from University of London, England, and his Ph.D. from University of Wisconsin-Madison.  His responsibilities are to manage the development of corn and soybean seed treatments. Dr. Pedersen serves as an associate editor for Crop Science, and has been active in the CSSA and ASA. 

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