Susan E. Gardiner has received the ASHS Outstanding International Horticulturist Award from the American Society for Horticultural Science. She has been given the award in recognition of her longstanding and valuable contribution to international horticultural science. Dr. Gardiner will be presented with the award on 25 July 2009 at the annual ASHS conference in St. Louis, Missouri.
Dr. Gardiner is co-editor of the books Genetics and Genomics of Rosaceae and Association Mapping in Plants, both published by Springer. She has also published articles in Springer's journals Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution and Euphytica.
Born in New Zealand, Susan Gardiner obtained her PhD in Biochemistry from Otago University in Dunedin, New Zealand, and carried out post-doctoral research in Freiburg, Germany. After joining the Plant Physiology Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) in Palmerston North, New Zealand in 1980, she developed techniques for distinguishing varieties of pasture grasses and legumes and worked on gene mapping in apples. Susan's most recent work involves unraveling the genetic architecture of traits of fruit crops central to New Zealand fruit industries.
The American Society for Horticultural Science focuses on research and education in horticulture and aims to actively promote horticultural science internationally. The ASHS Outstanding International Horticulturist Award recognizes an international horticulturist who has made an outstanding and valuable contribution to international horticultural science, education, research and/or outreach for a period of 10 or more years.