Colorado State University Administrator, Researcher and Student Recognized by National Organizations

Three well know national organizations – American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America – recently presented awards to three members of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University.

Lee Sommers, associate dean in the College of Agricultural Sciences and director of the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station, was recipient of the Soil Science Professional Service Award. Sommers is responsible for leadership and oversight of agricultural research programs in 15 academic departments at Colorado State and at eight off-campus research centers. The award, presented by the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), is in recognition of outstanding service to soil science. Sommers also received the Agronomic Service Award from the American Society of Agronomy (ASA). He has served as president of SSSA and ASA and was the co-chair of the 2006 Soils World Congress.

Scott Haley, professor and wheat breeder in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State, was selected by both the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) and the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) to their prestigious 2010 Classes of Fellows. Haley’s research focuses on winter wheat variety development for eastern Colorado and the High Plains region. Haley, who has served as an editor for the journal, Crop Science, and has been active with the National Wheat Improvement Committee, was selected by his colleagues based on his professional achievements and meritorious service to the CSSA and ASA.

Mariko Matsuda, a CSU senior majoring in soil and crop sciences, was selected to the Golden Opportunity Scholars Institute by the Crop Science Society of America. The program encourages undergraduates to enter the crop sciences profession, cultivate networks and develop the necessary workforce skills to sustain the profession. Matsuda is studying plant breeding, genetics and biotechnology. She is vice president of the local Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Sciences chapter and is performing research in plant insect resistance. After graduation in May, Matsuda hopes to pursue a Master’s in plant genetics.

The awards were part of the annual meetings of the ASA, CSSA and SSSA held earlier this month in Long Beach, Calif.

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