Honors and Awards

• 2008:   Leon Kochian, Director of the Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health and Research Leader for the Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
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• 2007:   Leon Kochian, Director of the Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health and Research Leader for the Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit was elected a member of the inaugural class of fellows of the American Society of Plant Biology
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• 2005:   Dr. James Russell, rumen microbiologist for the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit, was selected as the USDA-ARS North Atlantic Area's Senior Research Scientist of the Year for his research on ruminal fermentation that has increased the productivity, feed efficiency and food safety of the American cattle industry and decreased the impact of manure on the environment
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• 2005:   Dr Ed Buckler, plant geneticist with the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit, was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for his pioneering research on genetic approaches that let researchers identify individual genes controlling complex agronomic traits.   PECASE represents the highest honor that a young scientist or engineer can receive in the United States
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•  2005:   Dr. Leon Kochian, Research Leader and Plant Physiologist with the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit, was promoted to Supergrade
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•  2005:   Dr. James Russell, rumen microbiologist for the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit, was awarded the American Feed Industry Award from the American Society of Animal Science for his research into the microbial ecology of the rumen defined the causes of cattle problems including: acidosis, grass tetany, laminitis,E.colishedding. This is one of the oldest awards in the the U.S. recognizing superior research in animal nutrition
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• 2004:   Dr Ed Buckler, plant geneticist with the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit, received the Herbert L. Rothbart Outstanding Early Career Research Scientist Award for 2004 for his research on pioneering genetic approaches that let researchers identify individual genes controlling complex agronomic traits.   This is the highest honor USDA-ARS bestows on young scientists within the Agency
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• 2004:   Dr. James Russell, rumen microbiologist for the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit, was promoted to Supergrade
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•  2003:   Dr. Ross Welch, Plant Physiologist with the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit, was selected as the ARS Outstanding Senior Research Scientist for 2003 for combining research with outreach in efforts to halt malnutrition worldwide. This is one of the highest honors a scientist can receive from ARS
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• 2000:   Dr. Leon Kochian, Research Leader and Plant Physiologist with the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit, was selected as an ARS Outstanding Senior Research Scientist for his pioneering research on the emerging field of molecular plant nutrition and plant abiotic stress tolerance. This is one of the highest honors a scientist can receive from ARS
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• 1999:   Dr. Ray Glahn, animal physiologist with the U.S. U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit, was selected as the USDA-ARS North Atlantic Area's Early career scientist of the year for his innovative research on the development of an in vitro system to mimic the human digestion system the application of this system to study nutrient bioavailability in foods
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• 1999:   Dr. Leon Kochian, Research Leader and Plant Physiologist with the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit, was awarded a USDA Secretary's Award for Environmental protection. Dr. Kochian received this award for his pioneering research on the cultivation of crop plant species on marginal soils and in the use of plants to remediate soils contaminated with heavy metals. The Secretary's Annual Honor Awards are the most prestigious awards given at the U.S. Department of Agriculture
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• 1993:   Dr. James Russell, rumen microbiologist for the U.S. Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research Unit, was selected as the ARS Outstanding Senior Research Scientist for 2003 for his pioneering research on the role of rumen microbiology in improving ruminant health and nutrition.