December 2001 • Volume 35 • Number 12

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Tornado Hits Beltsville Agriculture Research Center West Campus

Fortunately, most of those who work at the Beltsville Agriculture Research Center in Beltsville, MD, had already left for the day when, on Monday, September 24, a tornado (later measured as an F3 with winds in excess of 150 miles per hour) struck the campus. Sadly, two

Greenhouses received substantial damage in Beltsville.

sisters who were visiting nearby at the University of Maryland were not so lucky. Both were killed in their car as they left the campus. The tornado left an estimated $40 million in damage to the Agricultural Research Center's West Campus and closed the facility for three days.

APS member Suzanne Hurtt was in her office on the East Campus (which was left untouched) when the tornado struck. "We were completely unaware of what was going on," says Hurtt who only became aware of the tornado when a colleague received a call from a friend warning them that a tornado was in the area.

Hurtt, who works for the USDA ARS Plant Germplasm Quarantine Unit had greenhouses with sugarcane on the damaged West Campus. "Initially it was a nightmare," says Hurtt, whose greenhouses received substantial damage, some beyond repair. "The power was off for three days and we couldn't turn on generators because of chemical spills." Downed trees, debris from slate roofs, and broken glass kept the facility closed to all but emergency personnel until the following Friday, after clean-up crews had a chance to clear the roads.

The Center's West Campus is also home to the well-known and widely utilized citrus collection, which contains pathogen strains of important citrus diseases occurring worldwide. The collection, which includes 380 Citrus tristeza virus, 30 isolates of Citrus greening, Citrus chlorotic dwarf, and Citrus yellow mosaic viruses, isolates of Citrus psorosis, Xylella fastidiosa, and Xanthomonas was saved despite the fact that the greenhouse in which the collection resided was completely demolished.

APS member John S. Hartung, who works for the USDA ARS and oversees the collection, says the plants took quite a beating but will likely survive. Some plants were lost however, and Hartung says it has been a setback, "We did lose plants that were part of current experiments, which leaves us at a standstill until we can set up space to renew our work." Hartung credits horticulturists at the center, particularly support scientist Christina Gouin, for saving the collection. "They went beyond the call of duty," says Hartung. "They worked hard and fast to make sure we lost as few plants as possible. We are very grateful to them."

APS member Rosemarie W. Hammond, also with the USDA, saw her work suffer too as a result of the tornado. Hammond, who is also an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, is currently working on a research project in cooperation with the Thomas Jefferson Biotechnology Foundation in Philadelphia on the creation of new methods for producing vaccines and diagnostic reagents for animals. The plant viruses that are part of the project along with purified virus stored in freezers were housed at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center's West Campus. Fifty percent of the plants involved in Hammond's research had to be destroyed, and the survival of the remaining plants is questionable. "With power down for several days following the tornado, the freezer material will need to be tested and may no longer be viable either. If it's not, months of work will be lost," says Hammond.

Call for Reports

APS Annual Meeting Abstract Notice

Online submission of APS abstracts for Milwaukee, July 27-31, 2002, will be available January 16 on APSnet. The website address will be included in the January 17 APS News Capsule. The deadlines are March 1 for oral paper presentations and March 15 for poster presentations. Remember to fully edit your online abstract before completing the credit card information. All resubmissions will be charged at the full original rate. Submissions after the deadlines will not be accepted. No exceptions will be made. You are encouraged to submit before the last day to avoid delays due to high system usage.

Call for Nominations for APS Awards

The call is now being made for APS and APS-sponsored award nominations for the 2002 APS Annual Meeting. Nominators are referred to the following guidelines.

Nominations for the Award of Distinction, Fellow, Excellence in Extension, Excellence in Teaching, Excellence in Industry, International Service, Ruth Allen, Lee M. Hutchins, Hewitt, and Syngenta awards should be postmarked on or before January 15, 2002, according to the following procedures. Names of previous awardees can be found at http://www.apsnet.org/members/awards/list.asp.

The committee receives 30 or more nominations for Fellows each year. If too few nominations for other awards are received in one year, the committee may decide not to make the award that year. With the exception of the Lee M. Hutchins Award, all nominations for the above-named awards are considered for three years; however, an update of the packages yearly with pertinent material in support of a nomination is recommended. Nominations for the Lee Hutchins Award will stand for only one year. Additionally, for Fellow nominations, it is suggested that there be a gap of about three years between the last consideration of a nomination and any renomination. Deceased members are not eligible for the Fellow Award if they died before nomination.

General Instructions

Each active member of the society may nominate one candidate a year for each of the above awards. Unless stated otherwise below, the nomination package should include:

   1) A letter of nomination highlighting the contributions of the candidate. The letter of nomination is very important. It should be focused, succinct, and document the relevancy and impact of the candidate's contributions to the advancement of science and plant pathology. This letter should also include the candidate's name, position, and affiliation and should not exceed two single-spaced pages.

   2) A complete list of publications. The list should be separated into the following categories: A) published in refereed journals; B) technical publications not in refereed journals (i.e., reports, symposium papers); C) books, reviews, and book chapters; and D) popular publications. Other items that might be included, where appropriate, include honors and awards and invited presentations.

   3) An accurate, up-to-date biographical sketch of the nominee (not exceeding 1,000 words). It may occur that an individual will be nominated more than once. This is acceptable, but multiple letters of support should not be provided. Copies of all material should be sent directly to each member of the Awards and Honors Committee (listed at the end of this article).

All nominations for year 2002 must be postmarked on or before January 15, 2002. The time schedule for selecting 2002 awardees does not allow committee members time to do independent research on candidates or to search out important biographical data omitted in the nomination documents. It, therefore, is essential that the nomination documents be complete and accurate, providing critical and specific analyses of the nominee's contributions and personal history. The committee members use this information in drafting the biographical account used at the award ceremony and published in Phytopathology.

APS Awards

Fellow—The society grants this honor to a current APS member in recognition of distinguished contributions to plant pathology or to the American Phytopathological Society. Anyone who has been a member of the society for at least three years immediately before nomination, except for retired persons who were members for the last three years before retirement, is eligible.

To keep the APS Fellow Award truly meaningful, annual election of nominees is limited to approximately 0.25% of the active membership—currently 9 or 10 Fellows per year. Using the same stringent guidelines as for active members, Fellows may be elected from among emeritus members in addition to the 0.25% quota.

Since APS first granted awards in 1965, 381 Fellows have been elected. A list of those honored in past years is listed at http://www.apsnet.org/members/awards/fellow.asp. Information is also available in the January issue of Phytopathology.

In recent years, the Awards and Honors Committee has observed that nominations for the Fellow award are often incomplete and difficult to evaluate. The following suggestions on format are presented in an effort to promote consistency, ensure fairness, and facilitate committee deliberations.

Fellow awards are based on significant contributions in one or more of the following areas: original research, teaching, administration, professional and public service, and extension and outreach. It is important to clearly indicate in the nomination statement which of these major categories serves as the basis for the nomination. Each area should be addressed individually, and the nomination should include, but not necessarily be limited to,

• Original research—Identification of major research contributions and a description of the significance and impact of the work. Indicate key publications. (It is not necessary to send copies of the publications. See "General Instructions" for information on how to list publications.)

• Teaching—Evidence of excellence in teaching (e.g., student and peer evaluations, awards, or other types of recognition) and a description of significant teaching activities. A list of courses taught should be included with the nomination.

• Extension and outreach—Identifica-tion of extension programs and activities and a description of their significance and impact, a listing of key extension publications, and any available information on their acceptance and use by consumers.

• Administration—Chronological listing of administration assignments, identification of significant accomplishments.

• Professional and public service—Evidence of service to APS and other scientific societies (offices held, committee appointments, editorial activities), identification of service to their organization, institution, or community.

Award of Distinction—This award, the highest honor the society can bestow, is presented on rare occasions to persons who have made truly exceptional contributions to plant pathology. Nominations for this award can be submitted by any member of the society. Nominations format should be as described for the Fellow Award. Nominees for the Award of Distinction need not be members of the society.

Excellence in Teaching Award—This award recognizes excellence in teaching plant pathology. Preference will be given to active teachers with responsibility for one or more courses in plant pathology. The major criterion will be formal (classroom) teaching proficiency, as indicated by the development and effectiveness of courses taught. Note of research and other activities supportive of teaching should be included in the nomination. Nomination format should be as described for the Fellow Award. Other supporting material should include a brief description of courses taught and indicators, including students' opinions, of teaching effectiveness. Recipients of the Fellow Award will not be considered for the Excellence in Teaching Award.

Excellence in Extension Award—This award recognizes excellence in extension plant pathology. The nominee must have some portion of his/her appointment in extension. Nominees should be individuals who have made outstanding contributions by creating, developing, or implementing extension-related programs or materials, or have provided significant leadership in an area of extension plant pathology. Supporting information could include descriptions of significant clientele educational programs; development of information transfer materials such as bulletins, fact sheets, books, newspaper and magazine articles, computer software and networks, videotapes, radio and television programs, and interactive video conferences; and evidence of leadership in local, regional, or national extension programs or professional organizations. Specific examples of the creativity and impact of the nominee's programs should be emphasized. Note of research, teaching, public policy education, and other activities supportive of extension should be included in the nomination. Nomination format should be as described for the Fellow Award. Recipients of the Fellow Award will not be considered for the Excellence in Extension Award.

Excellence in Industry Award—The Excellence in Industry Award recognizes outstanding contributions to plant pathology by APS members whose primary employment involves work outside the university and federal realms either for profit or nonprofit. Individuals eligible for the award include those in positions such as plant pathology research and development specialists, private consultants, group managers within private companies, and others.

Nominees should be individuals who have made outstanding contributions to plant pathology through their employment in industry. Supporting information could include general descriptions of new discoveries that have advanced the technological development of plant pathology, publications, patents, novel information delivery programs for clientele, unique clean-stock programs for industry, effective coordination of development programs for new chemicals and biocontrol agents, and demonstrated leadership of a nonprofit organization with a focus toward plant pathology. Nominees must be an APS member employed primarily in nonacademic or nongovernment service. Nomination format should be as described for the Fellow Award. Recipients of the Fellow Award will not be considered for the Excellence in Industry Award.

International Service Award—The International Service Award recognizes outstanding contributions to plant pathology by APS members for a country other than their own. Individuals eligible for the award would include those whose position in their home country has afforded them the opportunity to participate in the development of plant pathology in another country. Contributions may have been made through collaborative projects, sabbaticals, short- and long-term assignments with educational or governmental agencies, including, but not limited to, international centers and research institutes. Nominees should be individuals who have made outstanding contributions to plant pathology for a country beyond their home country. Supporting information could include descriptions of plant pathology programs that have been established, collaborative efforts with scientists in the host country, publications resulting from work done in the host country, and effective coordination of educational programs for universities or government agencies. This award carries with it a cash prize to the recipient of which a portion is designated to the international program of the recipient's choice. Funds for this prize are made possible from the JANE Fund (John and Ann Niederhauser Endowment). Nomination format should be as described for the Fellow Award. Recipients of the Fellow Award will not be considered for the International Service Award.

Ruth Allen Award—Nominees for the Ruth Allen Award should be individuals who have made an outstanding, innovative contribution to research that has changed, or has the potential to change, the direction of research in any field of plant pathology. Nomination format should be as described for the Fellow Award. Reprints of no more than five key papers should be included. This is the only award for which reprints are requested. Recipients of the Ruth Allen Award receive a certificate and a cash prize derived from a fund established by the heirs of Dr. Allen. Nominees for this award need not be members of the society.

Lee M. Hutchins Award—This is an award to the author or authors of published research on basic or applied aspects of diseases of perennial fruit plants (tree fruits, tree nuts, and small fruits and grapes, including tropical fruits, but excluding vegetables). A nomination must be based principally or completely on a paper or series of papers published in APS journals within the three calendar years preceding the meeting of the Awards and Honors Committee in early February. Earlier papers in APS journals should be cited in the nomination only if they were the foundation of subsequent work during the three-year period, or if the work during the three-year period involved a logical extension and application of earlier research. Nominated paper(s) may report research on any aspect of disease diagnosis, epidemiology, etiology, physiology, vector relations, control, or properties of the etiologic agent. The committee would be influenced by the significance of the research reported and how it provides a better understanding of fruit plant diseases and contributes ultimate value to the fruit industry. Nominations should include a one-paragraph biographical sketch of each nominee (place of birth, age, education, employment history, and principal professional interest), copies of publications from the three-year period covered by the nomination (inclusion of copies of earlier publications is discouraged), and a 1- to 2-page citation, specifically describing the contributions of the nominee. Authors nominated need not be members of the society. The award consists of a certificate and the annual income of the Lee M. Hutchins Fund bequeathed to the society by Dr. Hutchins.

William Boright Hewitt and Maybelle Ellen Ball Hewitt Award—Established in 2001, this award recognizes a young scientist who has made an outstanding, innovative contribution directed toward the control of plant disease. To be considered, the nominee must have received a Ph.D. degree or completed postdoctoral training no more than five years prior to nomination and be a member of the American Phytopathological Society. Contributions that include research or activities performed for a graduate degree will not be considered. Supporting information should include a detailed description of innovative research or extension programs. Recipients will receive a certificate and a cash prize derived from funds bequeathed to the society by the Hewitt estate. Nominations will stand for one year, and the format should be as described for the Fellow Award.

Distinguished Service Award—The Distinguished Service Award honors individuals who have provided sustained outstanding leadership to the society, while also furthering the science of plant pathology. This award is only presented upon recommendation of APS Council.

APS-Sponsored Award

Syngenta Award—This award is given by Syngenta Corporation (formerly Novartis) to an APS member for an outstanding recent contribution to teaching, research, or extension in plant pathology. The award consists of a certificate and an expense-paid trip to Basel, Switzerland. Nominations should be made as described on pages 133-134. Priority for this award is given to young members of APS who are in the first decade of a career in plant pathology.

APS-Sponsored Nominations

In addition to awards given by APS, the committee solicits nominations of individuals to be sponsored by APS for awards given by other agencies during 2001–2002. For such awards, the committee recommends nominees to the APS Council. When the council approves the nominees, the committee appoints a nominator who prepares the required documentation; the nominations are forwarded to the appropriate agency by the president of APS. These awards are as follows:

National Medal of Science—This medal is awarded annually by the president of the United States for outstanding contributions to knowledge in the biological, physical, mathematical, or engineering sciences. More than one individual may be nominated in a given year. All nominees are considered for a period of five years.

Alexander von Humboldt Award—This annual award includes a cash prize of $10,000 for the most significant contribution to American agriculture made or recognized during the previous three years. Recipients are selected by a national committee. APS may sponsor more than one nominee.

Alan T. Waterman Award—Each year, the National Science Foundation recognizes the work of an outstanding research scientist (generally under age 40) in any field of science or engineering by awarding a medal and research grant, not to exceed $50,000 per year, for three years of scientific research or advanced study.

Closing Date

Each member of the Awards and Honors Committee must receive nominations and all supporting information postmarked on or before January 15, 2002. Please submit all supporting materials as a whole. Additional endorsements received separately will not be considered. The nominator should send a typewritten copy of the material directly to each of the following:

Gary A. Payne, Chair
North Carolina State University
Plant Pathology Department
Box 7616 - Gardner Hall
Raleigh, NC 27695-7616

Larry Dunkle, Vice Chair
USDA ARS
Purdue University
Botany & Plant Pathology Department

Lilly Hall
West Lafayette, IN 47907

Thomas J. Burr
Cornell University
Plant Pathology Department
NYSAES - 630 North Street
Geneva, NY 14456

Dennis Gross
Texas A&M University
Plant Pathology & Microbiology Dept.
2132 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-2132

Mary Powelson
Oregon State University
Botany & Plant Pathology Department
2082 Cordley Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331-2902

Randall C. Rowe
Ohio State University
OARDC - Plant Pathology Department
1680 Madison Ave.
Wooster, OH 44691-4096

Walter R. Stevenson,

Immediate Past Chair (serving for Isaac Barash)
University of Wisconsin
Plant Pathology Department
1630 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706-1520 

Also in this issue: (as a .PDF file, see link below)

• Editor's Corner 158
• Public Policy Updates 161
• APS Foundation 163
• APS Archives 164
• Industry News 165
• People 166
• Classifieds 168
• APS Journal Articles 170
• Calendar of Events 172

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The American Phytopathological Society