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Nearly two dozen individuals from academia, government and private industry were honored by the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) for their outstanding contributions to the field of weed science.

The annual awards were presented during WSSA's 49th Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

"Our annual WSSA awards program honors individuals from around the globe who are all-stars in their profession," said Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D., of Virginia Tech, president of WSSA. "They conduct breakthrough research, promote weed science education, or devote their time and energy to the profession in other significant ways."

The awards committee was chaired by Lori Wiles, Ph.D., who works with the USDA's Agricultural Research Service in Colorado. Awards were presented in 11 categories to the individuals listed below:
  • WSSA Fellow is the highest honor bestowed upon WSSA members. Only 0.25 percent of the membership may be selected for Fellowship in any given year. These members have been part of the organization for at least a decade and have made substantial contributions to the field of weed science.
    Karen Renner, Ph.D.
    Professor, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
    Michigan State University
    East Lansing, Michigan

    Michael Barrett, Ph.D.
    Chair, Plant and Soil Sciences Department
    University of Kentucky
    Lexington, Kentucky

    A. Richard Bonanno, Ph.D.
    Extension Weed Science Educator and Adjunct Professor
    University of Massachusetts
    Amherst, Massachusetts
  • Outstanding Research Award for a WSSA member whose original, creative work has made an impact on the weed science field.
    Ragahavan Charudattan, Ph.D.
    Professor, Plant Pathology Dept., College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
    University of Florida
    Gainesville, Florida
  • Outstanding Industry Award honoring the professional achievements of a WSSA member employed in private industry.
    Nelroy E. Jackson, Ph.D.
    Consultant in Vegetation Management
    Corona, California
  • Outstanding Graduate Student Award for an M.S. or Ph.D. candidate in weed science receiving an advanced degree within the past year.
    Todd Gaines
    Doctoral Candidate
    Colorado State University
    Fort Collins, Colorado
  • Outstanding Extension Award for an individual exhibiting excellence in weed science extension outreach activities.
    Chris Boerboom, Ph.D.
    Professor and Extension Weed Scientist
    University of Wisconsin-Madison
    Madison, Wisconsin
  • Outstanding Early Career Weed Scientist Award for a member age 40 or less who has demonstrated originality and creativity and has made a notable contribution to the discipline.
    Christy L. Sprague, Ph.D.
    Associate Professor and Extension Specialist
    Michigan State University
    East Lansing, Michigan
  • Outstanding Paper in the Journal Invasive Plant Science and Management
    "Quantifying Invasiveness of Plants: A Test Case with Yellow Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)." Invasive Plant Science and Management 1:319-325.

    Erik A. Lehnhoff, Ph.D.
    Assistant Director for Research, Center for Invasive Plant Management
    Montana State University
    Bozeman, Montana

    Lisa J. Rew, Ph.D.
    Assistant Professor of Non-Native Plant Ecology, Department of Land Resources and Environmental Science
    Montana State University
    Bozeman, Montana

    Bruce D. Maxwell, Ph.D.
    Professor of Agroecology/Weed Ecology, Department of Land Resources and Environmental Science
    Montana State University
    Bozeman, Montana

    Mark L. Taper, Ph.D.
    Research Associate and Associate Professor, Department of Ecology
    Montana State University
    Bozeman, Montana
  • Outstanding Paper in the Journal Weed Science
    "Heterologous Hybridization of Cotton Microarrays with Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) Reveals Physiological Responses Due to Corn Competition." Weed Science 55:546-557.

    David Horvath, Ph.D.
    Scientist
    USDA Agricultural Research Service
    Fargo, North Dakota

    Danny Llewellyn, Ph.D.
    Sub-Program Leader of Genomics and Plant Development
    Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
    Clayton South VIC, Australia

    Sharon A. Clay, Ph.D.
    Professor, Plant Science
    South Dakota State University
    Brookings, South Dakota
  • Outstanding Paper in the Journal Weed Technology
    "Contrasting Responses of Weed Communities and Crops to 12 Years of Tillage and Fertilization Treatments." Weed Technology 22:309-317.

    Anne Légère, Ph.D.
    Research Scientist
    Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
    Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

    Craig Stevenson, Ph.D.
    Consultant
    Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

    Noura Ziadi, Ph.D.
    Research Scientist
    Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
    Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
  • Outstanding Reviewers Award for excellence in the review of articles for WSSA journals.
    John F. Gaskin, Ph.D.
    Research Leader, Pest Management Research Unit
    USDA Agricultural Research Service
    Sidney, Montana

    Joel Felix, Ph.D.
    Assistant Professor and Weed Scientist
    Oregon State University, Malheur Agricultural Experiment Station
    Ontario, Oregon
  • Honorary Member Award to recognize significant contributions to the field of weed science.
    Hiroshi Matsumoto, Ph.D.
    Professor, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences
    University of Tsukuba
    Tsukuba, Japan


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    About the Weed Science Society of America:
    The Weed Science Society of America, a nonprofit professional society, was founded in 1956 to encourage and promote the development of knowledge concerning weeds and their impact on the environment. The Weed Science Society of America promotes research, education and extension outreach activities related to weeds, provides science-based information to the public and policy makers, and fosters awareness of weeds and their impacts on managed and natural ecosystems. For more information, visit http://www.wssa.net.


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