Lifetime Achievement Stories
The University of Georgia, in collaboration with USDA-ARS, has a long history of supporting plant breeding that preceded the establishment of the Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics.
A few of our stories demonstrating the impact of plant breeders within the discipline and beyond can be found below.
Lifetime Achievement
Glenn Burton
In a career spanning more than six decades, most of which was spent as a professor at the University of Georgia’s Tifton campus, Burton established himself as one of the world’s most prolific agricultural scientists. You don’t have to search long to find one of his creations.From championship golf courses and international venues like the Olympics and the World Cup to the turf that adorns the playing surface in UGA's Sanford Stadium, Burton created new grass varieties that have become the international standard for excellence in the sporting world.
Lifetime Achievement
Joe Bouton
In this video, Dr. Hancock interviews Dr. Joe Bouton, UGA Professor Emeritus and former Senior Vice President of the Noble Research Institute, on the occasion of him being awarded the "Giant of Agriculture" award at the Crop Science Society of America's annual meeting in 2018. This retrospective covers his career and personal reflections.
Lifetime Achievement
Wayne Hanna
University of Georgia scientist Wayne Hanna has received his share of awards, but he says there’s something extra special about the Lifetime Achievement Award he received at the National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB) annual meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 28. “I think the biggest satisfaction that comes from winning the award is that the efforts in Tifton are recognized and acknowledged,” Hanna said.
Lifetime Achievement
Roger Boerma
Roger Boerma, former professor of crop and soil sciences at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and current executive director of Georgia Seed Development, recently received the 2013 NAPB Plant Breeding Impact Award from the National Association of Plant Breeders and the Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee.One of the organizations’ most prestigious honors, the impact award recognizes an individual who has made significant advancements in the field of plant breeding in the area of applied variety and/or technology development, causing a measurable impact on crop production. It also recognizes the individual’s exceptional accomplishments in teaching and collaboration. The presentation was made during the NAPB annual meeting held June 2-5, 2013 in Tampa, Fla.
Lifetime Achievement
Michael Dirr
The National Academy of Inventors has inducted Michael Dirr, professor emeritus of horticulture in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, into the 2014 class of NAI Fellows.Dirr, who is responsible for introducing 150 new plant varieties into landscapes around the world, is one of only two UGA faculty members to be inducted into the this year’s NAI class. He is the only plant breeder to be inducted into the NAI in the organization’s history.
Congratulations!
van der Knaap Receives 2020 D.W. Brooks Faculty Award for Excellence in Research
In research funded by the National Science Foundation, van der Knaap and her team have contributed important knowledge about the history of tomato by analyzing the genomes of multiple ancestral tomato varieties. This information is providing valuable insight into how the tomato crop has evolved over the millennia and her findings have implications for the evolution of other plants.
Wayne Parrott Presented With ASTA Distinguished Service Award
The 2020 American Seed Trade Association's Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual or individuals who made an outstanding contribution to our industry throughout the year.
Wayne Hanna and Brian Schwartz Receive Legislative Recognition
Dr. Wayne Hanna and Dr. Brian Schwartz received special legislative recognition from the Georgia House and Senate for the development of TifTuf turfgrass.