CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 12/09/16

UGA faculty member named AAAS Fellow

By James Hataway

Katrien M. Devos, a professor of crop and soil sciences and plant biology at the University of Georgia, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Election as an AAAS Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers.

This year, AAAS has awarded this honor to 391 members in recognition of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. New Fellows will be presented with an official certificate and gold and blue (representing science and engineering, respectively) rosette pin in February at the AAAS Fellows Forum during the 2017 AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.

Devos, who holds a joint appointment in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, was elected as an AAAS Fellow for her important contributions to the field of comparative genomics of the grasses, particularly cereal grains, that are commonly grown in less developed countries.

“Selection as an AAAS Fellow is a major milestone in a scientist’s career, and thus the University of Georgia is enormously pleased that Dr. Devos has been selected for this honor,” said David Lee, UGA vice president for research. “This peer recognition is important to our faculty and it also brings added distinction to the university.”

Devos earned her Ph.D. from the University of Ghent, Belgium. She conducted pioneering research on the comparative genetics of cereals at the John Innes Center in Norwich, U.K., before joining UGA in 2003.

Her current research focuses on the structure, function and evolution of grass genomes, particularly switchgrass, wheat, millets and the turfgrass seashore paspalum.

Devos recently received a $1.8 million collaborative grant from the National Science Foundation to study the genetics of finger millet – an important food security crop for many farmers in Eastern Africa – and of the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae, which causes blast disease in finger millet.

The resources developed under this project will help breeders create more efficient, sustainable varieties of finger millet that are also resistant to blast disease.

Authors:
James Hataway
Experts/Sources:
Katrien M. Devos
Professor Katrien Devos works as at a light table. Devos is a professor in the UGA Department of Crop and Soil Sciences and the Department of Plant Pathology, and she was recently named a fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Professor Katrien Devos works as at a light table. Devos is a professor in the UGA Department of Crop and Soil Sciences and the Department of Plant Pathology, and she was recently named a fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
2024 honorees are William D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Elzie Argene Claxton, an agriculture educator and 1980 CAES agricultural education graduate who went on to earn a master’s degree in 1982 and education specialist degree in 1984 from UGA’s College of Education. CAES News
Innovator, educator inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame 04/11/24 Maria M. Lameiras
An innovator in peanut breeding whose research revitalized an industry and an ardent champion of agricultural education were inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame at the 68th University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association Awards in Athens. The 2024 honorees are William D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Elzie Argene Claxton, an agriculture educator and 1980 CAES agricultural education graduate.
UGA wheat breeder and geneticist Mohamed Mergoum smells one of several test brews created by Creature Comforts on its annual Get Comfortable collaboration using a variety of wheat Mergoum developed at CAES. CAES News
Creature Comforts partners with UGA wheat breeder to create 2024 Get Comfortable brew 04/09/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Wheat breeders spend years meticulously crossing varieties to coax the best traits out of each species, carefully propagating plant varieties that are healthier, heartier and better suited for the environments where they are grown. Brewmasters are equally painstaking when choosing the components that will give their beers a specific flavor profile. These two exacting professions came together this spring when Athens-based Creature Comforts Brewing Co. reached out to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to find a sustainable wheat variety they could use to make a good beer for a great cause.
A field of corn at sunset. CAES News
UGA Extension protects family farms and sensitive species 04/04/24 Emily Cabrera
Stanley Culpepper has dedicated the length of his career to supporting farmers in their mission to feed and clothe the world. For the past 25 years, Culpepper has been a weed science specialist for University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and a College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty member. Recently his job has become increasingly complex as mounting challenges around the availability of pesticides — primarily herbicides — have taken center stage in agricultural production.
The Research Awards Program is sponsored by the University of Georgia Research Foundation (UGARF). Awards are given annually to honor outstanding faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, and to recognize excellence in UGA research, scholarly creativity, technology commercialization and entrepreneurship. Award winners are selected by accomplished faculty peers who give their time and energy to help honor well-deserving researchers at UGA. CAES News
UGA to recognize groundbreaking achievements at 2024 Research Awards 04/02/24
As the spring semester starts winding down, the University of Georgia’s annual Honors Week marks a time to celebrate exceptional performance in the classroom, in the service arena and in research, as faculty and graduate students are recognized for their contributions to scientific discovery. Celebrating its 45th year, UGA’s Research Awards banquet and ceremony, set for April 4, will pay tribute to those who have made groundbreaking strides in their respective fields through research, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.
Five UGA professors were named NAI Senior Members, giving the university 16 in its history. Pictured (clockwise from left) are Elizabeth Brisbois, David Crich, Jack Huang, Ralph Tripp, and Paul Raymer. CAES News
Five professors named Senior Members of National Academy of Inventors 03/06/24 Brandon Ward
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has selected five University of Georgia researchers as 2024 NAI Senior Members, the largest single induction for the university in its history. UGA now has 16 Senior Members overall. NAI Senior Members recognize faculty, scientists, and administrators for their ability to innovate and commercialize new technologies. UGA’s 2024 inductees are Elizabeth Brisbois, David Crich, Qingguo “Jack” Huang, Paul Raymer, and Ralph Tripp.
Exterior of the Administration Building front entrance on a blue sky spring day. CAES News
Newest round of Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grants awarded 03/05/24 Olivia Randall
Ten university-wide projects devoted to advancing interdisciplinary research across multiple application areas have been awarded Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grants as part of the 2023 cohort. The Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grant Program was launched in 2017 and offered again in 2019 and 2021 through a partnership between the offices of Research and Public Service and Outreach. These 10 awards were chosen from 70 proposals and reflect a commitment of $1 million from UGA President Jere W. Morehead.