EPSCoR Researcher in the News: Yanqi Wu Receives 2011 Whatley Award
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State University’s Yanqi Wu has been named the 2011 recipient of the James A. Whatley Award for Meritorious Service in Agricultural Sciences.
The award was initiated in 1982. It is presented annually to the top young scientist in OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, which is comprised of the college and two statewide agencies: the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station system and the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.
“Dr. Wu is one of the rising stars in grass breeding and genetics, and he is increasingly looked upon as a leader in professional societies here in the United States and worldwide,” said Dave Porter, interim associate dean of the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. “He is – without a doubt – one of the brightest young scientists I have ever met.”
An OSU alumnus as well as a current faculty member, Wu has released one switchgrass cultivar and three bermudagrass cultivars within the last four years. He has also proven instrumental in advancing both basic and applied scientific understanding.
Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are among the best molecular marker systems in crops, but were not available in bermudagrass and limited in switchgrass until Wu and his team developed more than 1,000 SSR markers in switchgrass and 900 SSR markers in bermudagrass. The respective SSR markers are the largest set in each species contributed by one laboratory in the world.
“Yanqi’s projects span from improving turf and forage bermudagrasses to developing switchgrass as a biofuel feedstock,” said Jeff Anderson, OSU professor of horticulture. “I find this to be a rather remarkable level of diversity, especially at an early stage of one’s career.”
Wu has been awarded nearly $5 million on 13 research projects since joining the division in 2006.
A prolific author, Wu has authored or co-authored 17 peer-reviewed journal articles, five book chapters, 10 technical publications, four international proceedings, 42 research abstracts and 26 other publications in Chinese books and journals.
In 2010, Wu received a Certificate of Excellence from the American Society of Agronomy and was honored with the Early Career Award by the National Plant Breeders Association. He was the recipient of an OSU Inventor Recognition Award in both 2008 and 2010.
Wu earned his Bachelor of Science degree in animal science from Ningxia Agricultural College in 1985, his Master of Science degree in forage science from Sichuan Agricultural University in 1988 and his doctoral degree in crop science from OSU in 2004.
Learn about Dr. Wu's OK EPSCoR research at http://www.okepscor.org/dr-yanqi-wu-0.
Pictured above: Oklahoma State University's Dave Porter, interim associate dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (left), and Robert E. Whitson, vice president, dean and director of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (center), present the 2011 Whatley award to Yanqi Wu. (Photo by Todd Johnson)
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STORY CREDITS/CONTACT INFORMATION
Story originally published by:
Oklahoma State University Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Website
Donald Stotts, Communications Specialist
Agricultural Communications Services
143 Agriculture North
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078-0001
Phone: 405-744-4079
Fax: 405-744-5739
Email: donald.stotts@okstate.edu
DASNR Website: http://www.dasnr.okstate.edu