WSSA Announces Awards for Outstanding Contributions in Weed Science

March 13, 2024 WSSA

13 March 2024, Colorado: The Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) and its regional affiliates recently honored more than forty outstanding contributors to weed science during their recent annual meetings. WSSA, along with the North Central Weed Science Society (NCWSS), Northeastern Weed Science Society (NEWSS), Southern Weed Science Society (SWSS), and the Western Society of Weed Science (WSWS) recognized multiple, exceptional contributions.

“Outstanding advancements in weed science continue each year, and it’s important to honor those whose contributions have been truly exceptional,” says Greg Dahl, WSSA president. “Thanks to these dedicated individuals, our society is better able to avoid the multiple, negative impacts that weeds and invasive plants can cause.”

The award winners listed below include individuals from academia, government and private industry. Biographical sketches for many of them are available online.

WEED SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA (WSSA)

FELLOW AWARD (WSSA’s highest honor)

Franck E. Dayan, Ph.D., Colorado State University
Kevin Bradley, Ph.D., University of Missouri

OUTSTANDING EXTENSION AWARD

Tom Barber, Ph.D., University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

OUTSTANDING RESEARCH AWARD

Lisa Rew, Ph.D., Montana State University

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD

Sachin Dhanda, Ph.D. student, Kansas State University

OUTSTANDING TEACHER AWARD

Darrin Dodds, Ph.D., Mississippi State University

OUTSTANDING EARLY CAREER WEED SCIENTIST

Michael Flessner, Ph.D., Virginia Tech University

OUTSTANDING INDUSTRY AWARD

Mayank Malik, Ph.D., Bayer Crop Science

EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM AWARD

Linda Edgerton, WSSA Public Awareness Committee Writer (retired)

US-HRAC HERBICIDE RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT AWARDS

Peter Sikemma, Ph.D., University of Guelph

OUTSTANDING PAPER: INVASIVE PLANT SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT

Sonia Graham, Ph.D., University of Wollongong

OUTSTANDING PAPER: WEED SCIENCE

Victor Hugo Vidal Rebeiro, Ph.D. student, Oregon State University

OUTSTANDING PAPER: WEED TECHNOLOGY

Andrew Howell, Ph.D., North Carolina State University

PUBLICATION BOARDS: OUTSTANDING REVIEWERS

Invasive Plant Science and Management: Cameron Douglass, Ph.D., USDA-OPMP
Weed Technology: Vijay Singh, Ph.D., Virginia Tech, Eastern Shore AREC
Weed Science: Greta Gramig, Ph.D., North Dakota State

HONORARY MEMBER

Adusumilli Narayana Rao, Ph.D., Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society (APWSS) Secretary General – retired

NORTH CENTRAL WEED SCIENCE SOCIETY (NCWSS)

FELLOW AWARD

Greg Elmore, Ph.D., Bayer Crop Science
Bill Simmons, Ph.D., University of Illinois

DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Education: Meaghan Anderson, Iowa State University
Young Weed Scientist: Steve Meyers, Ph.D., Purdue University
Research: Dean Riechers, Ph.D., University of Illinois
Professional Staff: Alexa Lystad, North Dakota State University

OUSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT

Mandeep Singh, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

NORTHEASTERN WEED SCIENCE SOCIETY (NEWSS)

FELLOW AWARD

Randy Prostak, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts

AWARD OF MERIT

Hilary Sandler, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts

OUTSTANDING RESEARCH AWARD

Vijay Singh, Ph.D., Virginia Tech

ROBERT D. SWEET OUSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT – Ph.D.

Uriel Menalled, Cornell University

M. GARRY SCHNAPPINGER SERVICE RECOGNITION AWARD

 Sudeep Mathew, Ph.D., Syngenta

SOUTHERN WEED SCIENCE SOCIETY (SWSS)

FELLOW AWARD

Jason Norsworthy, Ph.D., University of Arkansas
Nilda Burgos, Ph.D., University of Arkansas

OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR AWARD

Tom Barber, Ph.D., University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture EXCELLENCE IN REGULATORY AWARD
Thomas C. Mueller, Ph.D., University of Tennessee

OUSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT – M.S.