06 awards brochure

The American Phytopathological Society

Awards and Honors Ceremony & Presidential Ceremony

Photo by J-F Bergeron, Enviro Foto.

Tuesday, August 1, 2006 • Québec City, Québec, Canada

Awards & Honors Ceremony Tuesday, August 1 6:30-7:30 PM Welcome and Introductions John Andrews, APS President Presentation of APS Foundation Awards John Andrews, APS President • International Travel Award • 6th I.E. Melhus Symposium Presenters • Student Travel Awards Presentation of APS Awards Jim MacDonald, APS Past President • APS Fellows • Excellence in Extension Award • Excellence in Industry Award • Excellence in Teaching Award • International Service Award • Ruth Allen Award • William Boright Hewitt and Maybelle Ellen Ball Hewitt Award • Lee M. Hutchins Award • Syngenta Award Allison Tally, Syngenta Crop Protection • Award of Distinction

APS Foundation Awards International Travel Award 6th I.E. Melhus Graduate Student The Foundation, in cooperation with the Office Symposium: Student Research at the of International Programs, has established this Forefront of Genetics and Genomics of travel fund to support travel costs for early- to Pathogenicity and Host Resistance mid-career international APS members to

Walid Hamada Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie

participate in an APS annual meeting. This fund is intended to support scientists native to and working in developing countries that otherwise would not be able to attend APS meetings.

This prestigious symposium features presentations on graduate thesis research heralding novel approaches to understanding or managing plant disease pathosystems. The symposium is named in honor of Irving E. Melhus, a renowned teacher and outstanding researcher and pioneer in the field of plant pathology at what was then Iowa State College. Speakers for this symposium were chosen by an ad-hoc selection committee. The following five students were selected from a pool of applicants to present their research findings during this symposium.

Sara Blumer Michigan State University

Zhaohui Liu North Dakota State University

Angela Records Texas A&M University

Maria Gay Carrillo University of Philippines

Robert Duncan University of California-Davis

APS Foundation Awards Student Travel Awards The APS Foundation is pleased to provide APS Annual Meeting Named Student Travel Awards to the following 31 individuals, selected out of a competitive pool of nearly 70 applicants.

The JosĂŠ and Silva Amador Award Maurico Montero Universidad de Costa Rica

The Myron Brakke Award Lindsey OttoHanson University of Nebraska

The J. Artie and Arra Browning Award Denise Thomas University of Florida

The J. Artie and Arra Browning Award Kristen McGovern University of Maine

The C. Lee Campbell Award Yeon Yee Oh North Carolina State University

The Gustaaf A. and Ineke de Zoeten Award Maya Hayslett University of Minnesota

The Robert W. Fulton Award Megan Dewdney Cornell University

The John S. Niederhauser Award Claudia Probst University of Arizona

The Albert Paulus Award David Renault UniversitĂŠ de Bretagne Occidentale

The Virology Award Sushma Jossey University of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign

The Virology Award Charles Hagen University of California-Davis

The Elsie J. and Robert Aycock Award and The APS Council Award Damon Smith North Carolina State University

The Eddie Echandi Award and The APS Council Award Miguel VegaSanchez Ohio State University

The Raymond G. Grogan Award and The APS Council Award Katrina Duttweiler Iowa State University

The Forest Pathology Award and The APS Council Award Matthew Kasson University of Maine

The Arthur Kelman Award and The APS Council Award Zomary FloresCruz University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Tsune Kosuge Award and The APS Council Award Christina Baker Oklahoma State University

The Don E. Mathre Award and The APS Council Award John Goetz III Washington State University

APS Foundation Awards Student Travel Awards

The William J. Moller Award and The APS Council Award Nicole Russo Cornell University

The Donald E. Munnecke Award and The APS Council Award Margaret Ellis Michigan State University

The Joseph M. Ogawa Award and The APS Council Award Kelly Vining University of New Hampshire

The Eugene S. Saari Award and The APS Council Award Erica Swenson Brigham Young University

The Luis Sequeira Award and The APS Council Award Jennifer Clifford University of Wisconsin

The Malcolm C. Shurtleff Award and The APS Council Award Nicholas Dufault Pennsylvania State University

The H. David Thurston Award and The APS Council Award Angela Nelson Cornell University

The Harry E. Wheeler Award and The APS Council Award Alan Chambers Brigham Young University

The Zahir Eyal Award and The Roger C. Pearson Award Anjali More University of Arkansas

The John F. Fulkerson Award and The Larry W. Moore Award Christopher Wallis Ohio State University

The Richard L. Gabrielson Award and The Stuart D. Lyda Award Alexandre Mello Oklahoma State University

The Janell Stevens Johnk Award and The Dennis H. Hall Award Cassandra Swett University of Hawaii at Manoa

The Malcolm and Catherine Quigley Award and The Kenneth and Betty Barker Award Maryann Borsick Cornell University

APS Awards APS Fellows The Society grants this honor to a current APS member in recognition of distinguished contributions to plant pathology or to The American Phytopathological Society.

Stella Melugin Coakley earned B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California at Davis. She was a post-doctoral fellow at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder and then joined the faculty of the University of Denver. In 1988, Coakley moved to Oregon State University and served as head of the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology for over 15 years. She currently is associate dean in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Coakley is internationally known for her research on the relationships among climate variation, global climate change, and plant disease epidemics. Her pioneering modeling work helped establish relationships between climate and plant disease epidemics on a regional scale. Her research is highly relevant to the influences of global climate change on plant health, and she is frequently sought internationally to evaluate and summarize this topic. As head of the Botany and Plant Pathology Department, she was appreciated for her strong advocacy of her faculty and for her remarkable success in building the collegiality and scientific strength during a time of budget shortfalls.

Coakley led the APS Foundation through a period of tremendous growth when the highly successful graduate student travel awards were established. She also has served as vice president and president of the Pacific Division, chair of the Epidemiology Committee, and associate editor of Phytopathology. She currently serves as chair of the APS Public Policy Board. She was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2000.

Ralph Dean received his undergraduate degree in botany from the University of London (England) and his Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the University of Kentucky.

He joined the plant pathology faculty at Clemson University in 1990 and later moved to the Department of Plant Pathology at North Carolina State University as professor. In 2001, he also became the founding director of the Center for Integrated Fungal Research. In 2004, he received the Secretary’s Award of Honor from the USDA and the Huxley Memorial Medal from Imperial College, London. In 2005, he was appointed William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in Plant Pathology. Dean has established an internationally recognized research program on Magnaporthe grisea.

Early on, he conducted elegant studies that led to the identification of a cAMP-dependent kinase signaling cascade necessary for penetration of the host tissue. Dean was among the first to embrace genomic approaches for understanding of plant pathogenesis as new tools for genomic analysis became available. Release of the complete sequence of M. grisea is among his most notable accomplishments. The distinctive characteristic of the quality of his publication portfolio is that 11 of his more than 50 publications each have over 50 citations. In addition to his research program, he has developed an innovative outreach program including the Summer College for Biotechnology and the Life Sciences that brings talented high school students to NC State University to learn cutting edge science and experience university life.

Anne E. Desjardins was born in Bangor, Maine.

She received a B.A. degree in chemistry from the University of Maine in 1971 and a Ph.D. degree from Emory University in 1979. After post-doctoral work at the University of Colorado and Cornell University, she joined the USDAAgricultural Research Service in Peoria, Illinois, in 1984 where she continues to be employed.

Desjardins is an internationally recognized authority in Fusarium mycotoxicology and a leader of research with an unprecedented combination of molecular biology, natural products chemistry, and plant pathology under realistic field conditions.

She is recognized for the first demonstration of the significance of any mycotoxin (trichothecenes) in plant pathogenesis, and the first USDA-APHIS-approved field test of any genetically engineered plantpathogenic fungus. Her work on the role of trichothecenes in virulence of F. graminearum provided the foundation for other research programs aimed at using genes for trichothecene resistance to improve head blight resistance in wheat. Desjardins has authored 78 refereed journal articles and 26 invited review articles and book chapters. This year with APS PRESS, she published a book entitled, Fusarium Mycotoxins: Chemistry, Genetics, and Biology. She has served on six USDA/NRI grants panels and as panel manager. She has served as associate editor for Phytopathology, Fungal Genetics and Biology, and Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

Desjardins has a strong interest in international agriculture. She has trained Nepalese scientists in Fusarium mycotoxicology, which has aided maize breeders in developing germ plasm resistant to ear rot. Desjardins is most deserving of the APS Fellow Award.

Helene R. Dillard is a true Californian: born in San Francisco, a bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley; a master’s degree in soil science; and a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology at UC Davis.

However, her career is based on the east coast at Cornell University where she rose through the ranks of assistant, associate, and full professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY. Dillard is responsible for research and extension of vegetable crops. Her program focuses on the biology, ecology, and management of fungal and bacterial pathogens of vegetable crops. Emphasis is placed on the epidemiology of foliar pathogens, sustainable disease management strategies, disease management in transitional and organic cropping systems, control of pathogens in greenhouse vegetable crops, and culinary and medicinal herb diseases. Her enthusiasm for extension work is infectious to growers, the agricultural industry, and administration. In 2001, she became associate director of Cornell Cooperative Extension. A little more than a year later, she was promoted to the position of director of cooperative extension and associate dean in two colleges at Cornell. In this position, she now oversees 1,700 employees with an annual system budget of $120 million. Dillard’s leadership as director of extension has been transformational. Yet, she has remained a plant pathologist. She gets to her lab regularly and maintains an active and relevant research and extension program.

APS Awards Rose Gergerich, born in Wausau, Wisconsin, grew up on a dairy farm with her ten siblings and parents who stressed the importance of education and hard work. She received a B.A. degree in education and an M.S. degree in botany from the University of WisconsinMilwaukee, and a Ph.D. degree from Michigan State University. Since 1981, she has been at the University of Arkansas where she is currently a professor in plant pathology. Gergerich is best known for her innovative research in the virus–plant vector relationships of beetle- and nematode-transmitted viruses and for her development of a theory which explains the role of ribonuclease in beetle regurgitant, virus particle translocation within plants, and viral infection of unwounded tissue as determinants in beetle transmission of viruses. In her study on the relationship of virus–nematode vectors, she identified virus attachment sites for several nematode-transmitted viruses and correlated the presence of attached virus in nematode populations with transmission efficiency.

Gergerich has made valuable contributions in the area of etiology, epidemiology, and control of virus diseases in economically important crops in Arkansas. Her collaborative research with colleagues has led to important findings for the control of soilborne viruses in wheat, Tomato spotted wilt virus in tomatoes, and two new viruses in blackberry. She has served on numerous review panels for competitively funded research, and is frequently invited to speak about her research on virus vectors. She served APS as councilor-at-large and secretary, and currently serves as editor-in-chief of APS PRESS.

Charles R. Howell was born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1935. He served in the U.S. Navy, earned his B.S. degree in biological sciences from California State Polytechnic University in 1962, and his Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from Washington State University in 1967. He then joined the USDA-Agricultural Research Service as a research plant pathologist. Howell is best known for his research on biological control of plant disease, which has advanced knowledge of mechanisms involved in disease suppression by both bacterial and fungal biocontrol agents and resulted in improved tools for disease management. Howell’s early research, identifying the chemical structures of two antibiotics produced by the biological control agent Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf-5 and demonstrating that the antibiotics were effective in suppressing soilborne pathogens, was among the first to link specific antibiotic structures with disease suppression. This launched an era of scientific inquiry into the role of antibiotics in biological control that continues to this day. Howell was a major player in the team (led by Ciba-Geigy, now Novartis) that developed Maxim, the first chemical fungicide based on a natural product of a biological control agent. He also demonstrated that Trichoderma virens suppresses seedling diseases of cotton by inducing phytoalexin production and by utilizing pathogen germination stimulants released by germinating seeds. He has lead an internationally recognized research program in biological control and holds four patents for innovations that optimize the efficacy of biological control. Howell is now retired from ARS after 43 years of federal service.

John R. Hartman was born in 1943 in Bellerose, New York, and was raised in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. He obtained B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Appointed assistant extension professor at the University of Kentucky in 1971, he rose through the ranks to extension professor in 1982. Hartman holds extension pathology responsibilities for forest, greenhouse, landscape, and nursery plants, as well as for urban horticulture and fruit crops.

He leads a successful and unified departmental extension unit noted by a CSRS review panel as “one of the most cohesive and well delivered programs in the country.” He was a key collaborator for the Kentucky Apple IPM program recognized by a United States’ Senate Committee for its contributions to reduced pesticide use and enhanced profitability. Hartman has garnered over $800,000 in funding to pursue applied research relevant to his commodity responsibilities, and he has made some 30 national and international invited presentations.

Hartman fills a key role in a basic research department, serving as primary instructor for the plant disease identification course which enables students to learn practical plant pathology. Hartman’s influence extends well beyond Kentucky. Notable among his achievements was his conception and establishment of B and C Tests, for which he was editor-in-chief. He served as associate editor of Plant Disease and on several APS committees.

He has also provided important service for the International Society of Arboriculture. He is principal author of the seventh edition of P. P. Pirone’s Tree Maintenance.

Benham E. L. Lockhart was born in Kingstown, St. Vincent, the West Indies in 1945. He earned his B.Sc. degree in tropical agriculture at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad in 1965 and his Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the University of California-Riverside in 1969. Between 1969 and 1971, he was a post-doctoral fellow with M. K. Brakke at the University of Nebraska and with D. E. Schlegel at U.C. Berkeley. He has been a faculty member of the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota since 1971. In 1971, he began an intensive effort to develop modern plant virus research laboratories in Morocco, and began a highly successful program in training Moroccan students in modern plant virology. Advanced students trained abroad and then returned to Morocco, did more detailed research on local virus problems, and received their Ph.D. degree under Lockhart’s supervision. In 1975, King Hassan II visited Lockhart and his students at his plant virology laboratory at Hassan II University.

Lockhart’s own research program at the University of Minnesota led to the discovery of badnaviruses. These economically important nonenveloped bacilliform plant viruses are transmitted by mealybugs and through seed.

Lockhart and colleagues showed the dsDNA nature of their genomes and that they replicated via reverse transcription. Most recently, he and colleagues discovered that badnavirus sequences can be integrated into the plant chromosomal DNA and can cause whole plant infections after “activation” to give episomal replicating virus. Lockhart’s many significant contributions to international science and agriculture and to fundamental plant virus research are widely recognized among peers worldwide.

APS Awards Ulrich Melcher was born in London, England, and grew up in New York City and Westport, Connecticut. He obtained his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in biochemistry and plant physiology, respectively, at the University of Chicago and Michigan State University. Melcher began his research at Oklahoma State University in plant virology through a desire to develop Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) into a vector for gene transfer to plants. His work led to identification of the CaMV gene encoding the protein for aphid acquisition, evidence that CaMV DNA recombined via reverse transcription, leaf skeleton hybridization, predictions of virus-encoded movement proteins and identification of their critical motifs, and establishment of the VirOligo database. Turnip vein-clearing virus, an Arabidopsis infecting tobamovirus, was first isolated and developed for molecular genetic investigations in his laboratory. In recent years, Melcher’s work has focused on estimating the biodiversity of plant viruses and developing pan-virus detection assays. He has established productive collaborations with colleagues leading to the demonstration of phage-mediated immunity in spiroplasmas, characterization of putative spiroplasma adhesins, and identification of a Serratia marcescens associated with cucurbit yellow vine disease. A long-time member of APS, Melcher has served as webmaster for the Virology Committee, associate editor of Phytopathology, organizer of Virus Evolution Symposia, and member of the Microbial Forensics Working Group. A scientist of broad-ranging interests, he has published close to 100 research articles on these and other topics in a wide range of journals and is known as an outstanding teacher, graduate student, and post-doc mentor.

Ravi P. Singh was born on 24 June 1957, in Varanasi, India. He graduated from Banaras Hindu University in 1977 with distinction and then in 1979 completed his M.S. degree. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Sydney in 1984. His professional career initiated in 1983 as a post-doctoral fellow at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico where he became distinguished scientist in 2005. He currently is head of bread wheat improvement for intensive agro-ecosystems. Singh has implemented an interdisciplinary research program for the genetic understanding and development of CIMMYT wheat germ plasm that carry durable resistance to leaf and yellow rusts.

His research has shown that durable resistance involves interactions of slow rusting genes that have small to intermediate but additive effects.

Accumulation of four or five such genes results in a level of resistance comparable to immunity. He has contributed to the development of wheat germ plasm that has resulted in the release of over 150 cultivars grown on over 25 million hectare in numerous developing countries.

Singh and colleagues’ research has led to the identification and designation of 12 genes in wheat. Singh has developed some of the highest yielding CIMMYT wheat germ plasm that carries high level of durable resistance to both leaf and yellow rusts. These lines offer significant long-term protection against rust diseases throughout the world. He coordinates the “Rust Monitoring Network” for developing countries and wheat pathology research at CIMMYT.

James L. Starr was born in Dayton, Ohio. He received both B.S. and M.S. degrees in plant pathology from Ohio State University. His Ph.D. degree is from Cornell University in 1976 for studies on plant nematology under W. F. Mai. Subsequently, Starr was a post-doctoral associate at North Carolina State University. In 1981, Starr joined the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at Texas A&M University where he now holds the rank of professor. Starr is internationally recognized for his leadership in plant nematology. His studies of the ecology and epidemiology have transformed nematode management strategies for peanut and cotton crops in Texas, and promises to transform the worldwide peanut and cotton industries. Specifically, he documented the frequency distributions of Meloidogyne species and developed models of winter survival. By investigating the relationship between nematode number and yield loss, he determined damage functions for root-knot nematodes on cotton and peanut. He also determined the complex effects of interactions among nematode infection, fungal disease complexes, and host-plant resistance on these damage functions. Starr’s basic research has revealed his unique strength in bringing modern laboratory practices to practical applications for crop improvement. His studies of resistance to nematode diseases are recognized as an important model for other plant pathologists studying soilborne pathogens. Starr served as president of the Society of Nematologists (SON). He served on several editorial boards, including senior editor for APS PRESS and Plant Health Progress, and as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Nematology. Starr was elected SON Fellow in 2003.

Excellence in Extension Award This award recognizes excellence in extension plant pathology.

Marcia McMullen was born in Omaha, Nebraska. She obtained her B.S. and M.S. degrees in plant pathology from Iowa State University and Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from North Dakota State University. In 1984, she joined the Department of Plant Pathology at North Dakota State University as a cereal extension pathologist and coordinator for IPM education. McMullen’s outreach program emphasizes IPM practices for cereal disease control. She conducts applied research in disease surveys and efficacy of fungicides for disease management. In 1993, McMullen concentrated on Fusarium head blight following a $1 billion outbreak across North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba. Her collaborative educational efforts with growers, commodity organizations, elevators, and grain buyers helped calm a nervous grain industry. Her testimony to state and federal legislators helped secure funding for research on this disease. She helped identify effective fungicides and best application methods for Fusarium head blight control and collaborated with agronomists to determine cultivars with reduced susceptibility. Wheat growers responded to outreach information by increasing acreage of tolerant cultivars and adopting appropriate fungicide use, which resulted in yield and quality gains equal to over $30 million per year since 1994. McMullen currently is feature editor for Plant Disease and a member of the Executive Committee of the U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative. McMullen has received many honors including the Distinguished Service Award from the North Central Division of APS and awards “for making a difference” from the National Association of Wheat Growers and North Dakota Grain Growers.

APS Awards Excellence in Industry Award

International Service Award

This award recognizes outstanding contributions to plant pathology by APS members whose primary employment involves work outside the university and federal realms either for profit or nonprofit.

This award recognizes outstanding contributions to plant pathology by an APS member for a country other than his or her own.

Gregory Lamka has been quality supply technology manager with Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., since 1993. He holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in plant pathology from Iowa State University. Lamka is a leader in the seed industry and has made outstanding contributions to the science and practice of plant pathology through his graduate research, his professional activities, and his contributions to professional and trade societies, including APS. Lamka is recognized as a leader industry-wide for his role in the formation of the National Seed Health System. He chaired the joint working group between the American Seed Trade Association and USDA-APHIS for 7 years that formulated and implemented this system. This initiative allows private and governmental entities to become accredited to conduct phytosanitary inspections and seed health tests, draw official samples, and conduct visual inspections of international seed shipments, and designates a process for standardization of seed health tests and other phytosanitary protocols.

The system facilitates the safe, efficient movement of seed from the United States. USDA-APHIS now requires that seed exported from the United States be tested using NSHS standardized methods. For these activities, Lamka received the ASTA President’s Distinguished Service Award. He has continued to be active in phytosanitary issues, serving on several international committees. Greg has also been a major player in the widespread implementation of insecticidal seed treatments for corn.

Guided by Lamka’s careful planning and implementation, Pioneer has been well positioned to bring these revolutionary products into the market place. He is currently president-elect of the board of directors for the Iowa Seed Association.

Excellence in Teaching Award This award recognizes excellence in teaching plant pathology.

Cleora J. D’Arcy was born in Asheboro, North Carolina. She received an A.B. degree from Harvard University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Wisconsin. Since 1978, she has been a professor at the University of Illinois. D’Arcy has created innovative, successful courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels. She also has developed instructional materials, including websites, videos, books, and book chapters. Recently, D’Arcy has become active in the scholarship of teaching and learning, and has presented and published studies on faculty assessment, learning styles, and classroom technology. D’Arcy has led teaching efforts in her department, as teaching coordinator, and her college, as an assistant dean of academic programs. In APS, she has served as chair of APS Teaching Committee and as a senior editor of APS PRESS and of the APSnet Education Center. D’Arcy has received recognition for her teaching at the local, regional, and national levels, including being named a University of Illinois Distinguished Teacher Scholar and being a recipient of the National USDA/NASULGC Food and Agricultural Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award.

H. David Thurston, professor emeritus in the Department of Plant Pathology at Cornell University, has dedicated his long, distinguished and on-going career to international agriculture with a central focus on plant pathology. His many contributions include 11 years of service as a plant pathologist in Colombia, research and publications on tropical crops and their diseases, and the training of graduate and undergraduate students from the United States and many developing countries. Thurston’s website entitled “Smokin’ Doc Thurston’s Greatest Hits” reflects Thurston’s generous and creative dedication. An inspired champion of sustainable agriculture, Thurston recognized early the relationship between traditional and indigenous cropping practices and the conceptual basis for the design of more sustainable cropping practices for contemporary times. He has documented practices such as the use of cover crops and green manures and inspired an on-going tradition of research and outreach in this area. During his 38 years as a professor of plant pathology at Cornell, Thurston has influenced many U.S. students to pursue careers in international agriculture and has prepared generations of international students for leadership positions in their respective national programs.

He has raised awareness of policy makers and the public with regard to issues of world hunger and sustainable agriculture, and his legacy of books and photos will serve as key resources for future generations of U.S. and international plant pathologists.

Ruth Allen Award This award recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding, innovative contribution to research that has changed or has the potential to change the direction of research in any field of plant pathology.

Thomas J. Baum was born 10 August 1963 in Bingen, Germany. His interests led him to pursue a degree in agricultural sciences at the University of Bonn, Germany. After transferring to the Technical University of Munich, he obtained his German university degree in 1989 with a thesis on the epidemiology and control of the eyespot disease in wheat, which was guided

by Professors G. M. Hoffman and J.-A. Verreet.

Thomas then made the switch to nematology and entered into a Ph.D. program at Clemson University under the guidance of Stephen Lewis with Bruce Fortnum and Ralph Dean as co-advisors. He worked on root-knot nematode species interactions, molecular identification, and phylogeny and graduated in 1993. Baum’s nematological studies were continued during post-doctoral work in the laboratory of Richard Hussey at the University of Georgia. There, he pursued the identification of nematode parasitism genes and the use of “plantibodies” as a potential nematode control mechanism. In 1995, Baum joined the faculty of the Department of Plant Pathology at Iowa State University as an assistant professor and rose to full professor in 2006. He continued his efforts to identify and characterize nematode parasitism genes but also initiated

APS Awards projects to dissect the host plant response on molecular and genetic levels.

Baum’s research efforts so far have produced 43 peer-reviewed research articles and four invited reviews. He was awarded the Julius-Kühn Award of the German Phytomedical Society for outstanding contributions to the field of phytopathology in 2002 as well as the Society of Nematologists Syngenta Award for excellence in research in 2003. Baum is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Plant Disease and Protection. At Iowa State University, he also assumed administrative roles and currently serves as chair of the Department of Plant Pathology.

Eric L. Davis was born in 1958 and raised on the New Jersey shore. He received a B.S. degree in plant sciences from the University of Rhode Island in 1980. Davis completed a thesis on nicotine toxicity and resistance in tobacco to root-knot nematodes to earn an M.S. degree in 1984 from the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida.

He earned his Ph.D. degree from the same department at the University of Florida in 1988 with dissertation research on molecular recognition in plant–nematode interactions that was conducted with the USDA-ARS Plant Pathology Unit in Orlando.

In 1989, Rick continued his nematology research as a post-doctoral associate with Richard Hussey at the University of Georgia, focusing on antibody detection of esophageal gland secretions from root-knot nematodes. In 1993, he joined the faculty of the Department of Plant Pathology at North Carolina State University with research and teaching responsibilities in plant nematology. Davis’ research program at NCSU emphasizes identification and functional analyses of parasitism genes of the soybean cyst nematode and cell wall modifications induced in host plants by parasitic nematodes. His combined research has focused primarily on plant–nematode interactions, producing 50 peer-reviewed research articles and 12 invited reviews. Davis has served on several committees for the Society of Nematologists and APS, and has been an editor for the Journal of Nematology and Molecular Plant Pathology. He is now president-elect and program chair for the Society of Nematologists for the 2007 joint meeting with APS in San Diego. Davis was the recipient of the 2001 Syngenta Award from APS. Richard S. Hussey was born on December 12, 1942, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He received his A.B. degree in botany in 1965 at Miami University and his M.S. (1968) and Ph.D. (1970) degrees in plant pathology from the University of Maryland with Lorin Krusberg. This was followed by a post-doctoral appointment at North Carolina State University with Joe Sasser and Kenneth Barker. In 1974, he was appointed assistant professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia and rose to full professor in 1982, and was appointed a distinguished research professor at the University of Georgia in 1998. He has consistently maintained strong parallel research programs in fundamental and applied nematology and collaborates in a soybean cultivar development program. Hussey has authored or coauthored 140 peer-reviewed articles and 39 invited reviews and received several awards for his scientific accomplishments including APS Fellow, Society of Nematologists Fellow, D. W. Brooks Faculty Award for Excellence in Research, and D. W. Brooks Distinguished Professorship in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia.

William Boright Hewitt and Maybelle Ellen Ball Hewitt Award This award recognizes a scientist within five years of their Ph.D. degree who has made an outstanding, innovative contribution directed toward the control of plant disease.

Koon-Hui Wang was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She received her B.S. degree in horticulture from the National Taiwan University in 1993. She then enrolled at the University of Hawaii and received her M.S. degree in horticulture in 1996 and Ph.D. degree in plant pathology in 2000. After leaving Hawaii, she became a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Florida and was promoted to assistant research scientist in 2005.

Wang’s research has focused on the integrated management of soilborne pest problems, including nematodes, fungi, and weeds. Her main focus and strength has been integration of multiple tactics including soil solarization, cover crops, organic amendments, plant resistance, and biological control as alternatives to methyl bromide for managing soilborne problems. While she has made much progress in the integrated management of soilborne pests, the most impressive feature of Wang’s work is that her efforts have been integrated into the larger context of soil and plant health management.

She emphasizes that nutrient cycling by free-living nematodes benefits plants by improving nutrient uptake and plant health. She has made much progress in understanding the ecological conditions and use of organic amendments for stimulating natural enemies of nematodes. In addition, Wang has served APS as chair of the Nematology Committee, organized a nematology symposium at the 2005 meeting in Austin, and co-organized a nematology symposium at the 2004 meeting in Anaheim. She also has organized and taught a course on nematode biological control at the University of Florida.

Lee M. Hutchins Award This is an award to the author or authors of published research on basic or applied aspects of diseases of perennial fruit plants (tree fruits, tree nuts, small fruits, and grapes, including tropical fruits, but excluding vegetables).

Chang-Lin Xiao was born in Wuhan, China.

He completed his B.S. degree at Huazhong Agricultural University (1985) and his M.S. (1988) and Ph.D. (1991) degrees at China Agricultural University. Xiao worked as assistant professor at China Agricultural University for 3 years. He then moved to the United States and conducted post-doctoral research in three different laboratories before joining the Department of Plant Pathology at Washington State University in 2000 as assistant plant pathologist at the WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee, WA, with responsibility for postharvest pathology. Postharvest fruit rot diseases of apples and pears have been attributed largely to gray mold and blue mold diseases. However, during the past 5 years, Xiao has discovered three new postharvest fruit rot diseases in the United States caused by Potebniamyces pyri, Sphaeropsis pyriputrescens, and Phacidiopycnis washingtonensis. The latter two diseases were the first reports in the world and the causal agents were described as

APS Awards new fungal species. In Washington State, P. piri and S. pyriputrescens are now known to be responsible for one-fifth to one-third of the postharvest decay losses of d’Anjou pears and Red Delicious apples, respectively. Xiao’s research has focused on the association of these pathogens with cankers and twig dieback of trees and their ability to cause latent infection of fruit in the orchard that result in postharvest decay. Consequently, growers now have recommendations for preharvest treatments to control these diseases.

Xiao’s accomplishments represent significant contributions to the science of plant pathology and will have a major impact on the tree fruit industry in the Pacific Northwest in reducing losses from postharvest diseases.

Syngenta Award This award is given by Syngenta to an APS member for an outstanding contribution to teaching, research, or extension in plant pathology.

Guo-Liang Wang is being nominated for the APS Syngenta Award for his numerous and significant contributions on the molecular genetics and genomics of plant and microbe interaction, especially on the elucidation of the molecular basis of host resistance to two important rice pathogens: Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae and Magnaporthe grisea. In a few short years, he has become one of the leading scientists on molecular genetics and genomics of plant disease resistance. His highly significant research contributions include the isolation and characterization of several broad-spectrum resistance genes to X. oryzae pv. oryzae and M. grisea as well as pioneering the use of the LongSAGE and MPSS technologies for defense transcriptome analysis. He has published over 40 papers in high impact journals such as Science, Nature, PNAS, and Plant Cell. Generation of a large set of rice ESTs, LongSAGE, and MPSS tags from X. oryzae pv. oryzae- and M. grisea-infected rice plants by his group has provided the scientific community very useful genomic resources for functional analysis of defense genes in rice and other cereals. Wang’s lab has been extremely well funded and obtained $3.7 million directly to his program in the last 6 years. Wang is highly committed to the education of students in the areas of plant genetics, molecular biology, and genomics.

He supervises several Ph.D. and undergraduate students and teaches two graduate courses. He has served on review panels for the USDA and has reviewed many papers and proposals for journals and funding agencies. Over the years, he has offered more than 45 invited seminars and presentations at national and international meetings.

Award of Distinction This award, the highest honor the Society can bestow, is presented on rare occasions to persons who have made truly exceptional contributions to plant pathology.

Milton Zaitlin was born in Mt. Vernon, New York. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve, 1944–1945, and then obtained his B.S. degree in plant pathology in 1949 from the University of California at Berkeley. He conducted research in 1949–1950 on the use of plants as a bioassay for smog formation at Cal Tech, and then began graduate study at UCLA and was awarded his Ph.D. degree in botanical sciences in 1954. After service as a research officer at the Division of Plant Industry, CSIRO, Canberra, Australia (1954–1958), he was a post-doc at the University of Missouri. In 1960, he became a faculty member at the University of Arizona and joined Cornell University’s Department of Plant Pathology in 1973. He became professor emeritus in 1997. His refereed research publications are dated over a 50-year span, 1951–2000, and he is the author of many influential review articles. He was a pioneer in the investigation of mechanisms of virus replication. His research on viruses and viroids generated important new understanding, including the dispensability of virus coat protein for infection and symptom induction, virus uncoating, proteins and nucleic acids of replication, relationships between virus cell-to-cell movement and plant resistance, subgenomic RNA structure and function, the genetic map of TMV, and engineered resistance against viruses. Zaitlin’s research changed the direction of plant virology. He is an outstanding teacher and mentor of students and post-doctoral associates, and has contributed greatly to the activities of professional organizations and governmental agencies and to public understanding of plant pathology and biotechnology. Zaitlin is the recipient of numerous awards. He is a Fulbright Scholar, a Guggenheim Fellow, a fellow of AAAS, and a fellow of APS.

Presidential Ceremony Tuesday, August 1 7:30-7:45 PM Presentation of the APS Outstanding Volunteer Award Barb Christ, Senior Councilor-at-Large Presentation of the Past President’s Scroll John Andrews, APS President Transfer of the APS Gavel John Andrews, APS President Invitation to APS Annual Meeting In San Diego, California Jan Leach, APS President Ceremony Adjourned

APS Council Awards APS Outstanding Volunteer Award

Transfer of the APS Gavel

The APS Councilor’s Forum is proud to announce the establishment of the APS Outstanding Volunteer Award. This award recognizes individuals for excellent service in furthering the mission of APS through their volunteer efforts. The intention of this award is to recognize those volunteers in the general membership whose contributions are deemed invaluable.

The official APS Gavel is held by the current APS President during their term of service. The passing of the gavel signifies the changing of presidential responsibility from the current APS President to the incoming APS President.

Scott E. Gold University of Georgia

Gretchen A. Kuldau The Pennsylvania State University

Presentation of the Past President’s Scroll The APS Presidential Scroll is presented to the outgoing APS Past President in recognition of four years of service to APS during the presidential rotation.

Jim MacDonald University of California-Davis

John Andrews University of Wisconsin-Madison

Jan Leach Colorado State University