Congratulations, summer graduates! Many have accepted positions and are ready to enter the workforce, while others are choosing to continue their education. Fall classes begin Aug. 19, and last-minute preparations are being made for another wonderful year!
It is great to have a change from the heat and drought last year that negatively impacted much of Texas. The state has had a much cooler and wetter summer so far. We will continue to work toward enhanced stewardship of our soil and water as we produce food and fiber for a rapidly growing Texas.
We are excited to have several new faculty members joining us and are thrilled to be interviewing candidates for a data science position. The rapid advance in technology associated with reducing greenhouse gas emissions, crop breeding and weed science has brought a whole new level of data acquisition to our portfolio and made it evident that we need to enhance our expertise in data analytics to move forward and take advantage of artificial intelligence,
We have completed mid-term reviews and submitted them to leadership, and reviews for the promotion process will begin soon. Thanks to Ben Wherley, Ph.D., and Michael Thomson, Ph.D., for their roles as chairs. On Sept. 1, Katie Lewis, Ph.D., and Ronnie Schnell, Ph.D., will be promoted to professor and John Cason, Ph.D., to associate professor.
Summer is a busy time for our science and for our faculty to display their accomplishments at field days and during several conferences and events. We want to thank our faculty who led the organization of many of these events and provided presentations. While summer research is wrapping up, plans for the fall are evolving rapidly. We are thrilled that Texas will be hosting the ASA-CSSA-SSSA meetings this year!
The wheels have already begun turning for the upcoming school year, and the Agronomy Society has prepared the corn field for this fall’s corn maze. Our weed judging team also competed well in regional events. Whoop!
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Department celebrates August 2024 graduates
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The department will celebrate our Summer 2024 graduates during August graduation. The department is very proud of everyone’s accomplishments and wishes everyone the best in their future endeavors.
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McGinty receives Superior Service Award
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Congratulations Joshua McGinty, Ph.D., professor and AgriLife Extension agronomist, Corpus Christi, as he won the Mid-Career Program Specialist Award during the Superior Service Awards program held in Bryan on July 30.
A cornerstone for agricultural producers across South Texas, McGinty’s profound expertise in crop management has shaped the region’s agricultural landscape.
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Rathore earns international cotton researcher of the year recognition
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Keerti Rathore, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research plant biotechnologist, recently received the International Cotton Advisory Committee Researcher of the Year Award for his outstanding research in cotton.
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Budding agricultural scientists receive 'Bayer 4 University' mentorship
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Seven of the department’s students participated in the Bayer 4 University mentorship sponsored by Bayer Crop Science. The program aims to enrich the careers of budding scientists by enhancing their skills and technical expertise in the laboratory and in the field.
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Creating beautiful, healthy turfgrass and maintaining the environment
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Assistant professor and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service turfgrass specialist Agustin Boeri, Ph.D., is working to help people learn how to use environmentally sustainable turfgrass management practices that support the beauty, functionality and uniqueness of Texas’ geographical regions.
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'Phosphorus lady' finds home at Texas A&M
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Growing up on a dairy farm in Massachusetts, Kate Szerlag, Ph.D., was no stranger to phosphorus, a nutrient byproduct of manure that can have both positive and negative environmental impacts.
The new assistant professor of soil and water chemistry said she is known as the “crazy phosphorus lady” because the study has become her passion.
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Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Weslaco adds soils specialist
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The department welcomed Peter Omara, Ph.D., as the newest assistant professor and AgriLife Extension soils specialist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco.
Omara brings extensive experience in soil fertility, agronomic outreach and application to the South Texas region.
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Doctoral student Joe Johnson was named a Data Science Student Ambassador by the Texas A&M Institute of Data Science in June. Johnson is supervised by Muthu Bagavathiannan, Ph.D.
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Kudiabor receives award for poster at conference
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Doctoral student Reuben Kudiabor received first place for his poster at the 2024 International Temperate Rice Conference in New Orleans. Kudiabor is supervised by Muthu Bagavathiannan, Ph.D.
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Doctoral student Gustavo Camargo Silva received the Southern Weed Society enrichment travel scholarship this summer, which will allow him to participate in a weeklong educational experience exploring various areas of weed science. Camargo Silva is supervised by Muthu Bagavathiannan, Ph.D.
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Marvin Ferguson, Ph.D., will be posthumously inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame during a ceremony in October. From 1952-1968, Ferguson was a professor in the department and the U.S. Golf Association Green Section’s national research coordinator and mid-continental director.
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Remembering Jonathan Stanush '18
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The department remembers one of our former students, Jonathan Stanush ’18, who recently passed away. He graduated with a degree in plant and environmental soil sciences and was active in the Texas A&M Agronomy Society and the Aggie Corn Maze.
Our thoughts and hearts are with Jonathan’s family as they grieve their loss and celebrate his life.
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Nominations open for departmental awards
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Nominations are now open for the departmental awards. Don't hesitate to tell us about those who have gone above and beyond to make our department great. Nominations will be accepted until Oct. 31.
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Bryan Gentsch retires from Texas Seed Trade Association
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The department wishes Texas Seed Trade Association, TSTA, director of state affairs Bryan Gentsch good luck on his retirement. Gentsch has been a supporter of the department, strengthening faculty relationships with the TSTA, and a constant proponent of improvements in the Texas Certified Seed Program. We also look forward to working with the new director soon!
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Faculty, former and current students receive awards from Tri-Societies
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A number of faculty members have been notified they will be honored by the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America and the Soil Science Society of America at the 2024 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting on Nov. 10-13 in San Antonio.
- David Baltensperger, Ph.D.: Crop Science Distinguished Service Award
- Bill Rooney, Ph.D.: Crop Science Research Award
- Kathy Carson, Ph.D.: Crop Science Teaching Award
- Shuyu Liu, Ph.D.: Tengtou Agricultural Science Award
- Paul DeLaune, Ph.D.: ASA Fellow
- Julie Howe, Ph.D.: ASA Fellow
- Ambika Chandra, Ph.D., CSSA Fellow
- Lee Tarpley, Ph.D., CSSA Fellow
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Qingwu Xue, Ph.D.: CSSA Fellow
- Terry Gentry, Ph.D., SSSA Fellow
- Victor Daniel Hernandez: Golden Opportunity Scholar
- National Student Recognition Program: Chris Barron
Congratulations to all who won awards!
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Aug. 10 | College Station
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Aug. 16 | Heep Center first floor atrium, College Station
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First day of fall classes
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Aug. 19 | College Station
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Turfgrass and Landscape Field Day
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Women's Bennett Trust Land Stewardship Conference
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Oct. 7-9 | Fredericksburg
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Giving to Soil and Crop Sciences
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Student and faculty development are top priorities for Soil and Crop Sciences. Through Experiential Learning Endowments we can offer students new learning experiences outside of the classroom to help prepare them for the working world. Professorships and chairs help us bring top faculty and students into the program. Your donation can also help us continue to lead in research on specific crops and remain globally competitive as a top research university.
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About the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences
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The Department of Soil and Crop Sciences is one of the largest such departments in the nation and is preeminent throughout the world. Through our undergraduate and graduate programs, we're training future leaders, poised to advance soil and crop sciences to solve global issues in human, economic and environmental health. Our world-famous faculty have a presence in every county in Texas. Working in partnership with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, their goal is to conduct soil and crop sciences research through trials and experimentation and then transfer that new knowledge to the public.
aglifesciences.tamu.edu | soilcrop.tamu.edu
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