News Release

MADISON, WI, October 1, 2009 –  The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) will recognize the following individuals as 2009 ASA Fellows at a special Awards Ceremony during their Annual Meeting on Nov. 1-5 in Pittsburgh, PA, www.acsmeetings.org.

ASA has been selecting outstanding members as Fellows since 1924. Members of the Society nominate worthy colleagues based on their professional achievements and meritorious service. Only .3 percent of the Society’s active and emeritus members may be elected Fellow. The 2009 class of ASA Fellows are:

• Prakash R. Arelli – USDA-ARS, Jackson, TN.Prakash R. Arelli is a supervisory research geneticist and agronomist with USDA-ARS midsouth area in Jackson, TN. Dr. Arelli received a B.S. and M.S. from A.P. Agricultural University in India, and Ph.D. from University of Georgia. His program focus is on soybean breeding to genetically manage cyst nematode. Arelli served as an associate editor for Crop Science and the Journal of Plant Registrations. He has been active in CSSA and the National Soybean Breeders Conference.

• Kevin F. Bronson – Texas A&M University. Kevin F. Bronson is professor of soil fertility and nutrient management with Texas AgriLife Research at Texas A&M University with a joint appointment at Texas Tech University. He previously served at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. He received a Ph.D. from Auburn University. Dr. Bronson’s research focus is on nitrogen cycling and management. He served as associate editor for Soil Science Society of America Journal, and is senior associate editor for Agronomy Journal.

• Sharon A. Clay – South Dakota State University. Sharon A. Clay is a professor and weed scientist in the Plant Science Department, South Dakota State University. She received a B.S. from University of Wisconsin, M.S. from University of Idaho, and Ph.D. from University of Minnesota. Her program examines crop-weed interactions, herbicide movement in soil, and weed biocontrol. Dr. Clay is an Agronomy Journal senior editor and Weed Science associate editor. She has served as chair of Division A-8 and of the Women in Agronomy, Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Committee.

• Robert G. Darmody – University of Illinois.Robert G. Darmody is a professor in the Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Department, University of Illinois. He received a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. at University of Maryland. His research includes agronomic and environmental impacts of mining and of river sediment dredging, and investigation into biofuel crops and associated carbon sequestration in soils. He serves as Journal of Environmental Quality associate editor and is past president and chair of the Soils and Overburden Technical Division of American Society of Mining and Reclamation.

• Craig S.T. Daughtry – USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD. Craig S.T. Daughtry is a research agronomist with USDA-ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Beltsville, MD. He received a B.S and M.S. from University of Georgia and his Ph.D. from Purdue University. His research focuses on developing remote sensing techniques for managing crop nutrients and assessing crop residue cover and soil tillage intensity. Dr Daughtry has served as associate editor for Agronomy Journal and Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing.

• Carl A. Griffey – Virginia Tech. Carl A. Griffey is professor of small grains breeding and genetics in the Crop & Soil Environmental Sciences Department at Virginia Tech. He received a B.S. from University of Tennessee, M.S. from Washington State University, and Ph.D. from University of Nebraska. His program focuses on durable disease resistance and development of traditional and specialty cultivars of wheat and barley. Dr. Griffey served on the Crop Science variety registration editorial committees for barley and wheat from 1993-2007.

• Elizabeth A. Guertal – Auburn University. Elizabeth A. Guertal is a professor in the Department of Agronomy and Soils at Auburn University. Dr. Guertal received a B.S. and M.S. from The Ohio State University and Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University. She conducts research and teaches in the area of turfgrass management with a focus on soil fertility and fertilization. She served as associate editor for Crop Science, Soil Science Society of America Journal, and Agronomy Journal, and she currently serves as a technical editor for Crop Science.

• Nora L. Lapitan – Colorado State University. Nora L. Lapitan is a professor and geneticist in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, and the Cell and Molecular Biology Program at Colorado State University. She received a B.S. from University of the Philippines, and M.S. and Ph.D. from Kansas State University. Her program focuses on the application of genomics to improvement of cereal crops. She is a CSSA Fellow, has served as associate editor for Crop Science and has been active in CSSA, Entomological Society of America, and Plant and Animal Genome Conferences.

• Matt Liebman – Iowa State University.Matt Liebman is a professor of agronomy and the Henry A. Wallace Endowed Chair for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. He received a B.A. in biological sciences from Harvard University in 1978 and Ph.D. in botany from University of California-Berkeley in 1986. He is co-author of Ecological Management of Agricultural Weeds, published in 2001. His research, teaching, and outreach activities focus on ways to use ecological processes to reduce dependence on agrichemicals and fossil fuels.

• Albrecht E. Melchinger – University of Hohenheim, Germany. Albrecht E. Melchinger is a plant breeding professor, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany. He received a M.S. from University of Stuttgart, and Ph.D. and Habilitation degrees from University of Hohenheim. His research is on quantitative genetics and maize breeding, including CIMMYT collaboration. He served as Crop Science associate editor and Theoretical and Applied Genetics editor-in-chief. He has been a teacher to numerous plant breeding students and organizer of the Heterosis in Plants conference.

• James P. Muir – Texas A&M University. James P. (Jim) Muir is a professor in Soil & Crop Science at Texas A&M University and forage ecologist with Texas AgriLife Research. He has a B.Sc. in biology from Wheaton College and M.S.c and Ph.D. in agronomy from University of Florida. He previously worked for 10 years in Mozambique. His research focuses on native legumes for prairie restoration, forage, biomass, and condensed tannins to suppress parasites in ruminants. He is a senior associate editor for Agronomy Journal.

• Micheal D.K. Owen – Iowa State University.Micheal D.K. Owen is associate chair, professor of agronomy, and weed management extension specialist in the Agronomy Department at Iowa State University. Dr. Owen is also an adjunct professor at Escuela Agricola Panamericana, Honduras. He received a B.S. and M.S. from Iowa State and Ph.D. degree from University of Illinois. His program focuses on corn and soybean, specifically weed ecology. He served as Weed Science associate editor, and is active in the Weed Science Society.

• Gary A. Pederson – USDA-ARS, Griffin, GA.Gary A. Pederson is a supervisory geneticist and research leader, USDA-ARS, Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit, Griffin, GA. He received a B.S. from University of Minnesota, and M.S. and Ph.D. from Penn State. He curates the annual Trifolium and Vigna germplasm collections and coordinates the sorghum collection. He served as president of the American Forage and Grassland Council, chair of Division C-8, and is active in ASA, CSSA, and Crop Germplasm Committees.

• David R. Porter – Oklahoma State University. David R. Porter is a professor and head of the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Oklahoma State University (OSU). He received a B.S. and M.S. from OSU and Ph.D. from Texas Tech University. He previously spent 17 years with USDA-ARS as a research geneticist/research leader where his program focused on genetic resistance of insect pests in cereals. Dr. Porter served as associate editor for Crop Science.

• Jeremy W. Singer – USDA-ARS, Ames, IA.Jeremy W. Singer is a research agronomist with USDA-ARS National Soil Tilth Laboratory Ames, IA. He received a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from Cornell. His research quantifies water and radiation interactions on plant ecology in systems with varying tillage intensity, organic amendments, and cover crops. Dr. Singer served as Agronomy Journal associate and technical editors and is active in ASA and CSSA.

• Tara T. VanToai – USDA-ARS, Columbus, OH. Tara T. VanToai is a supervisory plant physiologist with USDA-ARS Soil Drainage Research Unit, Columbus, OH. She is also an adjunct graduate faculty member in the Horticulture and Crop Science Department at Ohio State. She received a M.S. from Cornell and Ph.D. from Ohio State. Her program focuses on improving crop tolerance to flooding and abiotic stresses. She has served as an associate editor for Crop Science, Agronomy Journal, and Journal of New Seeds.

• David B. Weaver – Auburn University. David B. Weaver is a professor and plant breeder in the Department of Agronomy and Soils at Auburn University. He also serves as undergraduate coordinator and leader of the Auburn Study Abroad Program in China. He received a B.S. and M.S. from University of Georgia, and Ph.D. from Purdue. He teaches courses in crop science and plant breeding and genetics. His research program focuses on yield and quality improvement of cotton and soybean. He served as associate editor and technical editor of Crop Science.

• Jeffrey W. White – USDA-ARS, Maricopa, AZ.Jeffrey W. (Jeff) White is a plant physiologist at USDA-ARS Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa, AZ. His program focuses on use of ecophysiological models to understand impacts of climate change on agriculture. Dr. White received a B.A. from Harvard and Ph.D. from University of California-Berkeley. He previously worked at three international centers: CIP, CIAT and CIMMYT. He is an associate editor for Crop Science and is on the editorial board of Agricultural Systems and Field Crops Research.

• Laosheng Wu – University of California-Riverside.Laosheng Wu is a professor and extension water management specialist in the Department of Environmental Sciences at University of California-Riverside. He received a B.S. from Zhejiang University, China, M.S. from Oregon State University, and Ph.D. from University of Minnesota. His program focuses on water and solute transport and water resources conservation and management. He served as associate director and interim director of the Center for Water Resources. He served as associate editor for Soil Science Society of America Journal.

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