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Monsanto Announces 2010 Beachell-Borlaug Program Winners

June 22, 2010

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Program supports young scientists interested in improving research and production in rice and wheat

By C. Waggoner, Produce More Conserve More Staff

Earlier this week the Monsanto Beachell-Borlaug International Scholars Program announced its second set of fellowship recipients, featuring seven women and seven men from around the world dedicated to improving rice and wheat breeding.

As the world faces the challenge of doubling food production over the next 50 years, Monsanto established the Beachell-Borlaug International Scholars Program to support young scientists interested in improving research and production in rice and wheat, two of the world’s most important staple crops, through plant breeding techniques. Monsanto is funding the program for five years for a total of $10 million. The program is administered by Texas AgriLife Research, an agency of the Texas A&M University System.

The program honors the accomplishments of Dr. Henry Beachell and Dr. Norman Borlaug, who pioneered plant breeding and research in rice and wheat, respectively.

Eleven countries are represented among this year’s group of winners, six of whom are pursuing their Ph.D. at U.S. universities – two in India and one each in Brazil, England, Malaysia, the Netherlands, South Korea and Sweden.

The program calls for award recipients to conduct two seasons of field work split between a developing country and a developed country. The dual country experience is to ensure that students gain a worldview early in their careers. Each recipient receives a full package of support to pursue his or her research. Recipients’ projects include: enhancing resistance to aphids in wheat; developing rice for cold tolerance in Brazil; and improving drought tolerance in wheat. Click here for a complete listing of the winners and their projects.

“What excites me the most is that within the first two years of the program, we’ve had winners from 17 countries and universities represented on six continents,” said Program Director Dr. Ed Runge. “This is truly a program with global reach. The panel of judges and I are confident the students are making a difference in the breeding research behind two of the world’s most important crops.”

An independent panel of judges chaired by Runge reviewed the applications. Click here for a full listing of judges.

The program will begin accepting applications for 2011 on Nov. 1, 2010. Students interested in applying to the program can find more details at www.monsanto.com/mbbischolars. Applications will be accepted until Feb. 1, 2011.

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