National and International Awards to Faculty
Faculty in the Department of Plant Agriculture have been recognized nationally and internationally for their many contributions to agricultural research and training. Our faculty are routinely invited to give distinguished lectures throughout Ontario, Canada and around the world, and are often featured in television, radio and newspaper articles.
Prof. Calvin Chong
Among several awards and distinguished lectures, Prof. Calvin Chong was elected as a Fellow of the International Plant Propagators Society (1999) for his many contributions in the area of plant propagation. In 2001, he co-shared the Plant Products Co. Ltd Award (with Prof. Glen Lumis) conferred by the Canadian Society for Horticultural Science for best scientific paper in the Canadian Journal of Plant Science for their research in floriculture and ornamental horticulture. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the internationally renowned Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, Ontario (1992-1997).
Prof. Helen Fisher
For her many contributions to grape research, Prof. Helen Fisher recently was awarded a distinguished researcher award by the Grape and Wine Society of New York (2000), the first time this distinction has been granted to a researcher outside of New York State.
Prof. Dave Hume
In recognition for his contributions to help make soybeans a major crop in Ontario, Prof. Dave Hume was elected as a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America. In 2001, Prof. Hume became a Fellow of the Agricultural Institute of Canada (FAIC) and a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Agronomy.
Prof. Ken Kasha
Crop geneticist Prof. Ken Kasha has received a number of prestigious awards for his pioneering research in establishing haploid techniques to reduce the time required for barley breeding time by up to 50%. By 1996, at least 55 doubled-haploid varieties had been released around the world using this technique developed by Ken Kasha and Kuo-Nan Kao. Prof. Kasha has been the recipient of the Ernest Manning award for outstanding innovation by a Canadian (1983), was elected to the Royal Society of Canada (1990), was awarded the Genetics Society of Canada award of excellence (1994) and became an Officer of the Order of Canada (1994).
Prof. Glen Lumis
In 2001, Prof. Lumis co-shared the Plant Products Co. Ltd Award (with Prof. Calvin Chong) conferred by the Canadian Society for Horticultural Science for best scientific paper in the Canadian Journal of Plant Science for their research in floriculture and ornamental horticulture.
Prof. Doug Powell
Food biosafety expert Prof. Doug Powell was invited to give The Ivan Parkin Lecture by the International Association for Food Protection (August 2000), awarded to honour his distinguished contributions and dedication to the field of food safety.
Prof. John Proctor
For his outstanding contributions to horticultural and agricultural sciences, Prof. John Proctor was elected Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science (1987), elected Fellow of the Institute of Horticulture U.K., and was elected Fellow (1999) of the Agricultural Institute of Canada (1999). For his numerous contributions to the ginseng industry, Prof. Proctor was elected as an Honourary Life Member of the Ginseng Growers Association of Canada (1985) and of the Associated Ginseng Growers of British Columbia (1993). In 1992, Prof. Proctor was named the Robert F. Carlson Distinguished Lecturer by the International Dwarf Fruit Tree Association in recognition of his outstanding contributions to fruit tree physiology and orchard research. For all of these contributions and additional contributions to the University of Guelph, Prof. John Proctor was awarded the Ontario Agricultural College Alumni Distinguished Researcher Award in 1995.
Prof. Clarence Swanton
Weed ecologist Prof. Clarence Swanton is a leading international authority in integrated weed management, the application of ecology to agricultural practices. For his research, Prof. Swanton has been awarded the Weed Science Society of America "Outstanding Weed Science Paper" (1994). He was invited to Iowa State University to give the Tenth Annual David W. Staniforth Lecture (1997). Prof. Swanton was also awarded the Dow AgroScience Excellence in Weed Science Award for Canada (1997), the Weed Science Society of America Outstanding Researcher Award (2001), and was elected as a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Agronomy (2002).
Prof. Rick Upfold
Crop scientist Prof. Rick Upfold (along with retired professors Ed Gamble and Neal Stoskopf) were awarded the Friendship Medal by the Government of China in 1995 for increasing wheat production by up to 25 per cent in the provinces of Heilongjiang, Gansu and Xinjiang, and for helping to introduce winter wheat to China. The Friendship Medal is the country's highest honor given to foreign researchers. Prof. Upfold was also the recipient of the University of Guelph Faculty Association Distinguished Professor Teaching Award in 2001.
Winners of the American Pomological Society Wilder Medal Award
The American Pomological Society Wilder Medal Award was established in 1873 and is awarded "to individuals or organizations for distinguished service and contributions to the advancement of pomological science and for outstanding fruit varieties" (http://hortweb.cas.psu.edu/aps). This prestigious medal has been awarded three times to the Horticultural Institute of Ontario (now part of the Department of Plant Agriculture):
- 1948 - Awarded to the Horticulture Experiment Station, Vineland for origination of fruit varieties.
- 1957 - Awarded to Dr.Edmund F. Palmer, Director and plant breeder at the Horticulture
Experiment Station, Vineland for fruit breeding, especially of peaches.
- 1973 - Awarded to Dr.Oliver A. Bradt, Fruit breeder at the Horticulture Experiment Station, Vineland for fruit breeding, especially of peaches and apricots.
Inductees into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame
Several faculty and staff from the Department of Plant
Agriculture and the Horticultural Research Institute of Ontario (HRIO) have been
inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame for significant contribution
to the welfare and improvement of Ontario Agriculture. Inductees include: Dr.
Oliver Augustine Bradt (Fruit breeder - Vineland) inducted 2002 (http://www.oahf.on.ca/Bradt.html),
Dr. Ernest Andrew Kerr (Plant geneticist and vegetable breeder - Simcoe) inducted
2001 (http://www.oahf.on.ca/KerrErnest.html),
Dr. Edmund Frank Palmer (Plant breeder, Director of H.R.I.O - Vineland, and
Head of the O.A.C. Dept. of Horticulture - Guelph) inducted 1986 (http://www.oahf.on.ca/Palmer.html),
and Dr. Charles A. Zavitz (Cereal breeder and field crop researcher - Guelph)
inducted 1984 (http://www.oahf.on.ca/Zavitz.html).
Winners of Distinguished Awards from the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC)
OAC Alumni Association Distinguished Researcher Award2007 - Prof. Praveen Saxena
2004 - Prof. K. Peter Pauls
1996 - Prof. Clarence Swanton
1995 - Prof. John Proctor
1994 - Prof. Mathijs Tollenaar
1990 - Prof. Bryan McKersie (Adjunct Faculty)
1987 - Prof. W.D. Beversdorf (Retired)
1985 - Prof. D.P. Ormrod (Retired)
1984 - Prof. Ken Kasha (Emeritus)
1982 - Prof. E. Reinbergs (Retired) OAC Distinguished Teaching Award
2007 - Prof. Manish Raizada
1997 - Prof. Tom Michaels
1991 - Prof. Glen Lumis
1984 - Prof. Jack Eggens (Retired)
1983 - Prof. J.E. Winch (Retired)
1982 - Prof. R.B. Hunter (Emeritus)
1980 - Prof. R.S. Fulkerson (Retired)
1974 - Prof. J.W. Tanner (Emeritus)
1973 - Prof. J.C. Taylor (Deceased) OAC Distinguished Extension Awards
2006 - Prof. K. Helen Fisher
2003 - Prof. Doug Powell
1998 - Prof. Rick Upfold
1987 - Prof. David Hume
1986 - Prof. H. Tiessen (Retired)
1983 - Prof. R.S. Fulkerson (Retired)
