2011 - AAIC Association News

Conference News

Yet another exciting conference comes to an end.  Our past president will be providing us with a recap shortly.

2011 Award Winners

Congratulations to Michael A. Foster (Research Scientist, Texas A&M University) on receiving this year's 2011 Anson E. "Tommy" Thompson Career Achievement Award.  This award is given to the person who throughout his or her career has made significant contributions to the development and/or utilization of industrial crops and/or products.  Mike’s forty plus year career in industrial crops is highlighted by many milestones associated with promoting industrial crops.  His service to the Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops is exemplary and includes many leadership roles: secretary, division chair (Guayule and Natural Rubber, Natural Rubber and Resins), president, conference chair, representative to CAST, and editorial board member for Industrial Crops and Products.  Mike’s guayule research resulted in major breakthroughs in stand establishment that resulted in direct seeding rather than transplanting.  His research defined the management practices central to guayule production resulting in him becoming the recognized authority on guayule production.  Mike also worked with lesquerella and several oilseeds (castor, canola, cotton, and safflower) for adaptation to west Texas.  His list of awards, publications, grants, and meetings is robust and indicative of a great scientist with a life-long dedication and commitment to new and industrial crops, but what sets Mike apart from most is his ability to attract individuals, coordinate and motivate them into a productive team, and lead them to truly excel in the quality and quantity of their work.  Mike’s leadership style coupled with his scientific skills has resulted in a career bursting with accomplishments that broke down barriers and resulted in industry changing breakthroughs for enhancing production of industrial crops.

 The Gail A. Dahlquist Award was presented to Dr. Mark P. Widrlechner (Horticulturist, USDA-ARS-NCRPIS). This award is given to a person who has effectively promoted the study and/or development of industrial crops and/or products.  Mark’s career portrays a long and productive integration of collection, evaluation, and preservation of industrial crops.  His germplasm involvement includes pioneering use of molecular marker technology, establishing medicinal plant collections, and providing oversight regarding establishment of the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center in Columbus, Ohio.  Mark’s dedication, passion, and expertise in plant germplasm has truly embraced and enhanced the national germplasm system.

AAIC 2011 Best Paper Presentation Awards (by Division)

Best Fibers and Cellulosics Division Paper Presentation

 FORMULATION OF A BIODEGRADABLE, ODOR-REDUCING CAT LITTER FROM SOLVENT-EXTRACTED CORN DRIED DISTILLERS GRAINS

Steven F. Vaughn¹, Mark A. Berhow¹, Jill K. Winkler-Moser¹, and Edward Lee²

¹National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, USDA-ARS, Peoria, IL 61604, USA

²Summit Seed, Inc., Manteno, IL 60950, USA

Best Oilseed Division Paper Presentation

COLLECTION AND EVALUATION OF FIELD PENNYCRESS (THLASPI ARVENSE L.) POPULATIONS

Winthrop B. Phippen and Mary E. Phippen

School of Agriculture, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL 61455, USA

Best Medicinal and Nutraceuticals Division Paper Presentation

JUNEBERRY CULTIVAR EVALUATION IN NORTH DAKOTA

Naa Korkoi Ardayfio¹ and Harlene Hatterman-Valenti¹

¹North Dakota State University, Plant Sciences Dept., Loftsgard Hall, Fargo, ND 58108, USA

Best Natural Rubber and Resins Division Paper Presentation

PROPERTIES OF NATURAL FIBER/SOY-BASED POLYURETHANE BIOCOMPOSITES

Sethu Munusamy, Michael Ehresmann, Shanshan Huo, and Chad A. Ulven

Mechanical Engineering Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA

AAIC 2011 Best Poster Awards (by Division) 

Best Oilseed Division Poster Presentation

CAMELINA (CAMELINA SATIVA L.) SEED YIELD RESPONSE TO NITROGEN, SULFUR, AND PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER IN SOUTH CENTRAL CHILE

Alejandro Solis¹, Marisol Berti^1,2, Rosemarie Wilckens¹, Wilson González¹,

and Burton L. Johnson²

¹Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Chile

²Dept. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

Best General Crops Division Poster Presentation

ADAPTATION SCREENING FOR NEW PULSES IN NORTH DAKOTA

Kuhu Sahu and Burton L. Johnson

North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA

2011 AAIC Student Travel Award

 Congratulations to Alejandro Solis, Universidad de Concepción.  Alejandro presented his work;

CAMELINA (CAMELINA SATIVA L.) SEED YIELD RESPONSE TO NITROGEN, SULFUR, AND PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER IN SOUTH CENTRAL CHILE

Alejandro Solis¹, Marisol Berti^1,2, Rosemarie Wilckens¹, Wilson González¹,

and Burton L. Johnson²

¹Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Chillan, Chile

²Dept. of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

2011 AAIC Fibers and Cellulosics Division Travel Grant Award

Congratulations to Srinivas Reddy, University of North Dakota.  Srinivas presented her work;

PRETREATMENT AND ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS OF KENAF BIOMASS AS A RENEWABLE SOURCE FOR BIOFUELS AND GREEN CHEMICALS

Srinivas Reddy Kamireddy¹, Yun Ji¹, and Marisol Berti²

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. ND, USA

²Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

EVALUATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF BIOFUEL PRODUCTION FROM SUNFLOWER HULLS

Srinivas Reddy Kamireddy¹, Christopher Schaefer¹, Matt Defrese², and Yun Ji¹

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA

²Chemical and Materials Engineering, California State Polytechnic University,

Pomona, CA, USA

Previous Award Winners

2010 Conference Awards

2009 Conference Awards

2008 Conference Awards

2007 Conference Awards

Conference Photos

A few highlights from the 2011 annual conference in Fargo, North Dakota Field Tours Monday, September 11, 2011
AAIC President, Burton Johnson introducing members to field tour at seed production facility		Members weighing their collective knowledge on grain truck scales
NDSU plot tours of biofuel and oilseed crops		Dick Auld explaining Castor production in North Dakota
Dulan Samarappuli (Student, NDSU) explains biomass crop experiments