ASA, CSSA, SSSA to present awards in Pittsburgh

MADISON, WI, October 1, 2009 – The American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) will recognize the following individuals during the scientific societies' Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA, www.acsmeetings.org, on November 1-5, 2009. The annual awards are presented for outstanding contributions to education, national and international service, and research.

American Society of Agronomy Award Recipients:

• John L. Havlin, North Carolina State University – Agronomic Resident Education Award. John L. Havlin is a professor in the Soil Science Department and director of distance education, College of Agriculture, North Carolina State University. He received a B.S. from Illinois State University and M.S. and Ph.D. from Colorado State University. His expertise is in nutrient management and viticulture. He is a Fellow of ASA, SSSA, and the National Association of College Teachers in Agriculture. He also served as SSSA president. He received numerous awards and authored the textbook, Soil Fertility and Fertilizers. The Agronomic Resident Education Award recognizes traits that characterize excellence in resident classroom teaching through classroom skills, performance by graduates, student-teacher interactions, and recognition of accomplishments as a classroom teacher.

• Robert L. Nielsen, Purdue University – Agronomic Extension Education Award. Robert L. (Bob) Nielsen is professor and extension corn specialist in the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University. He received a B.S. from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and M.S. and Ph.D. from University of Minnesota. His responsibilities include crop management research and extension programming for corn production in Indiana. Dr. Nielsen's crop management website (KingCorn.org) was developed in 1994 and is a popular public agronomic site. The Agronomic Extension Education Award recognizes educational contributions of extension agronomists, industrial agronomists, or others whose primary contributions are in teaching or education outside the university classroom.

• Frederick A. Cholick, Kansas State University – Agronomic Service Award. Frederick A. Cholick is a professor of agronomy at Kansas State University and Dean of the College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension. Dr. Cholick has a B.S. from Oregon State University and M.S. and Ph.D. from Colorado State University. He has been a wheat breeder, worked in international agriculture development, provided leadership for federal agricultural funding, and farm bill legislation. The Agronomic Service Award recognizes development of agronomic service programs, practices, and products for acceptance by the pubic. The focus is on agronomic service with associated educational, public relations, and administrative contributions of industrial agronomists, governmental, industrial, or university administrators, and others.

• Douglas Bentson, GRAINCO FS Inc. – ICCA of the Year Award. Douglas Bentson is a Certified Crop Adviser and Certified Crop Specialist with GRAINCO FS Inc., Mazon, IL. He received an associate's degree in agriculture from Joliet Junior College. He has been advising local farmers, working within the FS system, and networking with crop specialists for more than 30 years. His focus is working with local farmers on improving crop yields while limiting their risk with the aim of improving their bottom line. The award recognizes a Certified Crop Adviser who delivers exceptional customer service, is highly innovative, ahs shown leadership in the field, and has contributed substantially to the exchange of ideas and the transfer of agronomic knowledge in the agriculture industry.

• B. Todd Campbell, USDA-ARS, Florence, SC. – ASA–CSSA–SSSA Early Career Professional Award. B. Todd Campbell is a research geneticist at the USDA-ARS Coastal Plains Research Center, Florence, SC. He received a B.S. from North Carolina State University, and M.S. and Ph.D. from University of Nebraska. His program combines traditional breeding and molecular tools to enhance cotton production. Dr. Campbell serves as an associate editor for Crop Science, member of the cotton germplasm registration committee, and member of the cotton germplasm and national cotton variety testing committees. The Early Career Professional Award recognizes early career members who have made an outstanding contribution in agronomy, crop science, and/or soil science within seven years of completing their final degree.

• Patrick C. Wall, CIMMYT – International Service in Agronomy Award. Patrick C. Wall is director of CIMMYT's Global Conservation Agriculture Program. He received a B.S. from University of Rhodesia, and M.S. and Ph.D. from Reading University, England. For the past 20 years he has focused on the adaptation of the principles of conservation agriculture to the conditions of farmers with different biophysical and socioeconomic circumstances, especially those of smallholder resource-poor farmers.

• Charles W. Rice, Kansas State University – Environmental Quality Research Award. Charles W. (Chuck) Rice is a distinguished professor in the Department of Agronomy at Kansas State University. He received a B.S. from Northern Illinois University, and M.S. and Ph.D. from University of Kentucky. His research focus is on soil microbial ecology and soil carbon and nitrogen transformations in agricultural and grassland ecosystems. He served as associate editor of Soil Science Society of America Journal and is Fellow of ASA, SSSA, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

• Robert L. Mikkelsen, The International Plant Nutrition Institute – Agronomic Industry Award. Robert L. Mikkelsen is the western North American director of the International Plant Nutrition Institute. He conducts training on nutrient management throughout the region. He previously was on the faculty at North Carolina State University and a research scientist with the Tennessee Valley Authority. He received a B.S. from Brigham Young University and Ph.D. from University of California-Riverside. He serves on the board of directors for SSSA and the American Society for Horticultural Science.

• David B. Mengel, Kansas State University – Werner L. Nelson Award for Diagnosis of Yield-Limiting Factors. David B. Mengel is a professor of agronomy at Kansas State University with responsibilities in research, extension, and teaching. He received a B.S. and M.S. from Purdue University and Ph.D. from North Carolina State University. He previously served on the faculties of Louisiana State and Purdue. His applied research and extension program focuses on fertilizer management, especially nitrogen, making efficient fertilizer recommendations, soil testing, and plant analysis. The Werner L. Nelson Award for Diagnosis of Yield-Limiting Factors recognizes outstanding performance in the development, acceptance, and/or implementation of diagnostic techniques and approaches in the field. The selection criteria are the creativity and innovation of the nominee. The award is supported through a contribution by the late Dr. Nelson to the Agronomic Science Foundation.

• Lea Shanley – ASA-CSSA-SSSA Congressional Science Fellow. Lea Shanley works in the office of Senator Bill Nelsons (D-Florida) where she serves as the resident expert on scientific and technical issues. Shanley is a recent Ph.D. graduate (2008) from the University of Wisconsin. She is a broadly-trained professional who blends policy and inter-agency coordination experience with in-depth knowledge of geographic information science (GIScience) and its application to environmental and resource management. Her research efforts and professional activities have focused on the intersection of science and technology, law, and society.

• Gebisa Ejeta, Purdue University – E.T. & Vam York Distinguished ASA Lectureship. Gebisa Ejeta's personal journey would lead him from a childhood in a one-room thatched hut in rural Ethiopia to scientific acclaim as a distinguished professor, plant breeder, and geneticist at Purdue University. Dr. Ejeta is the recipient of the 2009 World Food Prize for his contributions in the production of sorghum, which have dramatically enhanced the food supply for millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. His scientific breakthroughs in breeding drought-tolerant and Striga-resistant sorghum have combined with his persistent efforts to foster economic development and the empowerment of subsistence farmers through the creation of agricultural enterprises in rural Africa. He has been selected to present the E.T. & Vam York Distinguished ASA Lectureship at the 2009 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting.

• James B. Beard, Texas A&M University – Martin & Ruth Massengale Distinguished ASA Lectureship. James B. Beard is professor emeritus in the Soil and Crop Sciences Department at Texas A&M University. He received a B.S. from The Ohio State University, and M.S., Ph.D., and D.A. honoris causa from Purdue University. Dr. Beard has provided leadership and coordination of research programs in stress physiology and culture of cool- and warm-season turfgrasses. Teaching activities included undergraduate courses, plus graduate grass ecology and stress physiology courses, and as major professor to 47 graduate students. He has been selected to present the Martin & Ruth Massengale Distinguished ASA Lectureship at the 2009 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting.

Crop Science Society of America Award Recipients:

• B. Todd Campbell, USDA-ARS, Florence, SC. – ASA–CSSA–SSSA Early Career Professional Award. B. Todd Campbell is a research geneticist at the USDA-ARS Coastal Plains Research Center, Florence, SC. He received a B.S. from North Carolina State University, and M.S. and Ph.D. from University of Nebraska. His program combines traditional breeding and molecular tools to enhance cotton production. Dr. Campbell serves as an associate editor for Crop Science, member of the cotton germplasm registration committee, and member of the cotton germplasm and national cotton variety testing committees. The Early Career Professional Award recognizes early career members who have made an outstanding contribution in agronomy, crop science, and/or soil science within seven years of completing their final degree.

• José F. M. Valls, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation/Embrapa – Frank N. Meyer Medal for Plant Genetic Resources. José F. M. Valls is a scientist in the Genetic Resources & Biotechnology Research Center at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation/Embrapa. Dr. Valls received a B.S. and M.S. in agronomy from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and a Ph.D. in range science from Texas A&M University. His program focuses mainly on the collection, conservation, and characterization of forage grass and wild peanut germplasm. He also serves as a Graduate Student Advisor at several Brazilian Universities.

• Ted Crosbie, Monsanto Co. – NCCPB Genetics and Plant Breeding Award for Industry. Ted Crosbie is vice president of Global Plant Breeding Division of the Monsanto Agricultural Sector. He received a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from Iowa State University. In his current role, Dr. Crosbie is responsible for seven crops worldwide. In January 2002, Crosbie was named a Distinguished Fellow in Science in recognition of his broad strategic impact in Monsanto through scientific leadership.

• Philippe Seguin, McGill University – Young Crop Scientist Award. Philippe Seguin is an associate professor and chair of the Plant Science Department at McGill University. He received a B.S. and M.S. from McGill University and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on the impact of management and environmental factors on crop quality. Dr. Seguin is responsible for the cultivar evaluation program of several crops in southwestern Québec. He serves as senior associate editor for Agronomy Journal and associate editor for Canadian Journal of Plant Science.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.

• Thomas L. Watschke, Penn State – Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award. Thomas L. (Tom) Watschke is a professor emeritus of turfgrass science in the Crop and Soil Sciences Department at Penn State. He received a B.S. from Iowa State University and a M.S. and Ph.D. from Virginia Tech. His research focused on weed control, plant growth regulation, and water quality issues related to fertilizer and pest management inputs to turfgrass management systems. Before his retirement, Dr. Watschke taught nine courses in Penn State's turfgrass programs. 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.

• Maarten Van Ginkel, ICARDA, Syria – International Service in Crop Science Award. Maarten Van Ginkel is deputy director general for research at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). He previously worked as a wheat breeder at the International Center for the CIMMYT. He received a B.S. and M.S. from Wageningen University, the Netherlands, and Ph.D. from Montana State University. He contributed to breeding more than 100 bread wheat varieties and co-authored more than 70 refereed journal articles. VanGinkel will also be inducted as a CSSA Fellow at the 2009 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting.

• Micheal D.K. Owen, Iowa State University – Crop Science Extension Education Award. 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 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.

• Randy C. Shoemaker, USDA-ARS, Ames, IA. – Crop Science Research Award. Randy C. Shoemaker is a research geneticist with the USDA-ARS and an adjunct professor in the Department of Agronomy at Iowa State University. He received a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Wisconsin system, and a Ph.D. from Iowa State. His research program focuses on legume genomics and bioinformatics. Dr. Shoemaker was the C-7 representative for the CSSA Board of Directors. He has also served as associate editor for Crop Science and was the founding technical editor for The Plant Genome.

• Schuyler S. Korban, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – Crop Science Teaching Award. Schuyler S. Korban is a professor of molecular genetics and biotechnology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He received a B.S. and M.S. from the American University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska. His teaching and research programs are in the areas of functional genomics, biotechnology, biotic stress, reproductive growth, and metabolic engineering. Dr. Korban holds leadership roles with numerous publications, including serving as Editor-in-Chief of Plant Molecular Biology Reporter and associate editor for The Plant Genome. He is also active in many professional and academic organizations.

• Henry Thompson, Colorado State University – CSSA Honorary Membership. Henry J. Thompson is a professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences and director of the Cancer Prevention Laboratory at Colorado State University. He received a Ph.D. from Rutgers University in nutritional sciences with an emphasis in biochemistry. Thompson is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society for Nutritional Sciences. His current research deals with investigations of the health benefits of staple and specialty food crops.

• James L. Brewbaker, University of Hawaii – Seed Science Award. James L. Brewbaker has served as a plant breeder and geneticist for the University of Hawaii Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Science since 1962. He received a Ph.D. from Cornell University in plant breeding and has served as a visiting scientist in nine countries. His research is on the genetic improvement of tropical crops, with a focus on maize and tropical leguminous trees. He also founded Hawaii's Crop Improvement Association and Hawaii Foundation Seeds, where he serves as director.

• Gebisa Ejeta, Purdue University – CSSA Presidential Award. Gebisa Ejeta's personal journey would lead him from a childhood in a one-room thatched hut in rural Ethiopia to scientific acclaim as a distinguished professor, plant breeder, and geneticist at Purdue University. Dr. Ejeta is the recipient of the 2009 World Food Prize for his contributions in the production of sorghum, which have dramatically enhanced the food supply for millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. His scientific breakthroughs in breeding drought-tolerant and Striga-resistant sorghum have combined with his persistent efforts to foster economic development and the empowerment of subsistence farmers through the creation of agricultural enterprises in rural Africa. In addition to receiving the CSSA Presidential Award, Ejeta will also present the E.T. & Vam York Distinguished ASA Lectureship at the 2009 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting.

• Lea Shanley – Congressional Science Fellowship. ASA-CSSA-SSSA 2008-2009 Congressional Science Fellow. Lea Shanley works in the office of Senator Bill Nelsons (D-Florida) where she serves as the resident expert on scientific and technical issues. Shanley is a recent Ph.D. graduate (2008) from the University of Wisconsin. She is a broadly-trained professional who blends policy and inter-agency coordination experience with in-depth knowledge of geographic information science (GIScience) and its application to environmental and resource management. Her research efforts and professional activities have focused on the intersection of science and technology, law, and society.

• Calestous Juma, Harvard Kennedy School – Betty Klepper Endowed Lectureship. Calestous Juma is a professor of the practice of international development and directs the Science, Technology, and Globalization Project at Harvard Kennedy School. He holds a Ph.D. in science and technology policy studies (no school listed). His research focuses on the application of science and innovation to sustainable development. Dr. Juma is a former head of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. He has also been elected to several academies including the Royal Society of London, the US National Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World. He has been selected to present the Betty Klepper Endowed Lectureship at the 2009 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting.

• Robert J. Hijmans, University of California-Davis – Calvin Sperling Biodiversity Memorial Lectureship. Robert Hijmans is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of California-Davis. Dr. Hijmans received a M.S. and Ph.D. from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. His program focuses mainly on modeling of the spatial and temporal dynamics of natural and cultivated biodiversity, agricultural geography and development, and spatial informatics. He has been selected to present the Calvin Sperling Biodiversity Memorial Lectureship at the 2009 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting.

Soil Science Society of America Award Recipients:

• James G. Bockheim, University of Wisconsin-Madison – America/New Zealand Soil Science Professional Exchange Award. Jim Bockheim is a professor in the Departments of Soil Science, Forest and Wildlife Ecology, and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received a B.S. and M.S. from University of Maine and Ph.D. from University of Washington. His programs focus on landscape biogeochemistry and polar pedology. Dr. Bockheim is past chair of Divison S-7 and has been a member of SSSA for more than 40 years.

• Kenneth Boote, University of Florida – L.R. Ahuja Ag Systems Modeling Award. Kenneth Boote is a professor in the Agronomy Department at University of Florida. He received a B.S. from Iowa State University and M.S. and Ph.D. from Purdue University. His research focuses on measuring and modeling crop growth and yield in response to climate, management, soils, and genetic factors. Dr. Boote 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 ASA, CSSA, SSSA, and the Biological Systems Simulation Group. The L.R. Ahuja Ag Systems Modeling Award is presented to an early career soil scientist, agronomist, or crop scientist in recognition of significant contributions. The award is supported by a gift from Dr. Lajpat (Laj) R. Ahuja to the Agronomic Science Foundation.

• Benjamin Kocar, Stanford University – Emil Truog Soil Science Award. Benjamin Kocar is a post-doctoral researcher in the Soil and Environmental Biogeochemistry Group at Stanford University. He received a B.S. in soil science and biochemistry and M.S. in environmental science at Montana State University. Dr. Kocar received a Ph.D. in environmental chemistry at Stanford. His Ph.D. dissertation focused on deciphering coupled biogeochemical and hydrologic processes governing arsenic release from soils and sediments of Southeast Asia. The award is given to a Ph.D. recipient who has made an outstanding contribution to soil science as evidenced by his or her Ph.D. dissertation. The recipient must have received a Ph.D. degree during the preceding calendar year.

• Keith L. Bristow, CSIRO Land and Water – Don & Betty Kirkham Soil Physics Award. Keith L. Bristow is a senior principal research scientist with CSIRO Land and Water; program leader in the CRC for Irrigation Futures in Townsville, Australia; and honorary professor at University of Pretoria, South Africa. Dr. Bristow received a B.S. from University of Natal, a M.S. from University of the Orange Free State, and Ph.D. from Washington State University. His research focuses on heat, water, and solute movement in and through soil and groundwater systems. He is an associate editor of Vadose Zone Journal. The Don and Betty Kirkham Soil Physics Award recognizes mid-career soil scientists who have made outstanding contributions in the area of soil physics. The award is supported by the Lena and Maria Van der Ploeg Fund and the Don and Betty Kirkham Fund, both of the Agronomic Science Foundation.

• B. Todd Campbell, USDA-ARS, Florence, SC. – ASA–CSSA–SSSA Early Career Professional Award. B. Todd Campbell is a research geneticist at the USDA-ARS Coastal Plains Research Center, Florence, SC. He received a B.S. from North Carolina State University, and M.S. and Ph.D. from University of Nebraska. His program combines traditional breeding and molecular tools to enhance cotton production. Dr. Campbell serves as an associate editor for Crop Science, member of the cotton germplasm registration committee, and member of the cotton germplasm and national cotton variety testing committees. The Early Career Professional Award recognizes early career members who have made an outstanding contribution in agronomy, crop science, and/or soil science within seven years of completing their final degree.

• T. Scott Murrell, International Plant Nutrition Institute – Soil Science Industry Award. T. Scott Murrell received a B.A. and M.S. from Purdue University and Ph.D. in soil science at Texas A&M University. He was with the Potash & Phosphate Institute for ten years prior to joining the International Plant Nutrition Institute in 2007. He is currently director of the U.S. Northcentral Region where corn and soybean are the dominant crops. Dr. Murrell's primary area of interest is researching flexible, site-specific nutrient recommendation approaches that are profitable, environmentally responsible, and scientifically sound.

Soil Science Distinguished Service Award.

The Soil Science Distinguished Service Award is presented in recognition of outstanding service to soil science. Selection is based on the nominee's contributions during his or her career. Members eligible for the award must have 25 years or more of active membership in the Society and have ceased full-time professional employment. The 2009 Soil Science Distinguished Service Award recipients are:

• Donald Graetz – University of Florida. Donald Graetz is professor emeritus in the Soil and Water Science Department at University of Florida. He retired in 2007 after serving 36 years in teaching and research. He received a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from University of Wisconsin. He was an undergraduate coordinator for two undergraduate programs and an advisor to the Agronomy/Soils Club. His research program dealt with nutrient management and associated soil and water quality issues. He is a Fellow of ASA and SSSA.

• Don Reicosky – USDA-ARS, Morris, MN. Don Reicosky recently retired as a research soil scientist from USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Morris, MN. He was also adjunct professor at University of Minnesota in the Department of Soil, Water, Air, and Climate Science. He received a B.S. and M.S. from The Ohio State University and Ph.D. from University of Illinois. Dr. Reicosky served as associate editor for Agronomy Journal and has been an active member of ASA and SSSA.

• Paul Unger – USDA-ARS, Bushland, TX. Paul Unger is a soil scientist who has retired from the USDA-Agricultural Research Service. He received a B.S. from Texas A&M University and a M.S. and Ph.D. from Colorado State University. His research was mainly with tillage methods, cropping systems, and crop residue management practices for improving water conservation for dryland and limited-irrigation crops in semiarid regions. Dr. Unger served as an associate editor for Soil Science Society of America Journal, was a division chair, and served on various ASA and SSSA committees.

• Ronald F. Follett, USDA-ARS, Fort Collins, CO. – Soil Science Research Award. Ronald F. Follett is the research leader of the USDA-ARS Soil-Plant-Nutrient Research Unit, Fort Collins, CO. He received a B.S. and M.S. from Colorado State University and Ph.D. from Purdue University. His program focuses on the study of soil carbon sequestration to help mitigate elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide and global climate change. Dr. Follett is a Fellow of ASA, SSSA, and the Soil and Water Conservation Society.

• Lee Burras, Iowa State University – Soil Science Education Award. Lee Burras is professor in the Department of Agronomy and affiliate professor of geology and environmental science at Iowa State University. He received a B.S. and M.S. from Iowa State University and Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. His program focuses on soils and the environment, which is also the name of a large lecture class he teaches. Dr. Burras served as associate editor for Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education and chaired the Council of Soil Science Examiners.

• Scott R. Yates, U.S. Salinity Laboratory, Riverside, CA. – Soil Science Applied Research Award. Scott R. Yates is research leader of the Contaminant Fate and Transport Unit, U.S. Salinity Laboratory, Riverside, CA. He received a B.S. from University of Wisconsin, M.S. from New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology, and Ph.D. from University of Arizona. His research focuses on minimizing pesticide contamination of soil, water, and air. Dr. Yates served as S-1 division chair, associate editor of Soil Science Society of America Journal, associate and technical editor of Journal of Environmental Quality, and as adjunct professor at University of California-Riverside.

• Jorge A. Delgado, USDA-ARS, Fort Collins, CO. – International Soil Science Award. Jorge A. Delgado is a soil scientist with USDA-ARS and Fellow of ASA, SSSA, and the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS). Dr. Delgado received a B.S. from University of Puerto Rico and M.S. and Ph.D. from Louisiana State University. He served as research editor of the Journal of SWCS since 2001. He has more than 140 publications. His international leadership contributes to the transfer of 15N isotopic techniques, nutrient management practices, and technology and tools that are used in soil and water conservation efforts across international regions, increasing farm-level nitrogen use efficiencies.

• Lea Shanley – Congressional Science Fellowship. ASA-CSSA-SSSA 2008-2009 Congressional Science Fellow. Lea Shanley works in the office of Senator Bill Nelsons (D-Florida) where she serves as the resident expert on scientific and technical issues. Shanley is a recent Ph.D. graduate (2008) from the University of Wisconsin. She is a broadly-trained professional who blends policy and inter-agency coordination experience with in-depth knowledge of geographic information science (GIScience) and its application to environmental and resource management. Her research efforts and professional activities have focused on the intersection of science and technology, law, and society.

• Donald R. Zak, University of Michigan – Francis E. Clark Distinguished Lectureship on Frontiers in Soil Biology. Donald R. Zak is a professor in the School of Natural Resources and Environment and in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at University of Michigan. He received a Ph.D. at Michigan State University, M.S. at University of Idaho, and B.S. from The Ohio State University. His research investigates links between the composition and function of soil microbial communities, and the influence of microbial activity on ecosystem-level processes. Dr. Zak has been appointed to the editorial boards of Ecology, Ecological Monographs, Ecological Applications and Soil Science Society of America Journal. He has been selected to present the Francis E. Clark Distinguished Lectureship on Frontiers in Soil Biology at the 2009 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting.

• Curtis J. Richardson, Duke University – William H. Patrick Memorial Lectureship. Dr. Curtis Richardson is an internationally acclaimed ecologist and wetland soil scientist conducting research on phosphorus biogeochemistry in wetland ecosystems. He is director of the Duke University Wetland Center and professor of resource ecology at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment. His interests are in phosphorus nutrient dynamics, the effects of environmental stress on plant communities and growth response, and wetland restoration. He has spent considerable efforts translating this research into realistic management techniques to improve wetland ecosystems while sustaining ecological functions on the landscape. Since 2003, he has been a scientific advisor to a USAID-sponsored project to restore the marshlands in southern Iraq. He was president of the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) in 1987-1988 and was named SWS Fellow. He is a Fellow of SSSA and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and is a recipient of the 2006 National Wetlands Award. He has been selected to present the William H. Patrick Memorial Lectureship at the 2009 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting.

• Johan Bouma, Wageningen University, the Netherlands – Nyle C. Brady Frontiers of Soil Science Lectureship. Johan Bouma is a retired professor of soil science at Wageningen University, the Netherlands, where he received a M.S. and Ph.D. He was a postdoc and a tenured associate professor in the Soil Sciences Department at University of Wisconsin from 1969-1975. He worked on hydropedology, soil survey and land evaluation, and associated policy issues. He was a member of the Scientific Council for Government Policy, a think-tank in the prime minister's office. He has been selected to present the Nyle C. Brady Frontiers of Soil Science Lectureship at the 2009 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting.

• Leo M. Walsh Soil Fertility Distinguished Lectureship. The Leo M. Walsh Soil Fertility Distinguished Lectureship honors the contributions of Leo Walsh, a leading extension specialist and researcher in soil fertility at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, to the profession.

Soil Testing/Problem Solving Era- the First 25+ Years
David Mengel – Kansas State University
David Whitney – Kansas State University

The Fertilizer Era-the Next 25+ Years
Robert G. Hoeft – University of Illinois
Keith Kelling – University of Wisconsin-Madison
Noble Usherwood – Agr-Tech Services LLC

The Environmental Era- the Last 25+ Years
Gyles Randall – University of Minnesota
James Baker – Ag Engineering
Gary W. Hergert – University of Nebraska

For more information on the 2009 awards presented at the ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, please visit www.agronomy.org/awards/award or contact Sara Uttech, 608-268-4948, suttech@agronomy.org

Photos of the recipients receiving their awards will be posted to our News & Media webpage following the Annual Meetings: www.agronomy.org/news-media

The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) www.agronomy.org/, is a scientific society helping its 8,000+ members advance the disciplines and practices of agronomy by supporting professional growth and science policy initiatives, and by providing quality, research-based publications and a variety of member services.