The William Boright Hewitt and Maybelle Ellen Ball Hewitt Award recognizes APS members who are within seven years of receiving a Ph.D. and have made an outstanding and innovative contribution directed towards the control of plant disease.
Eligibility and Nomination Requirements
- Nominee must be a current APS member and is within seven years of receiving a Ph.D. prior to being nominated for the award.
- Contributions that include research or activities performed for a graduate degree will not be considered.
- Supporting information in the nomination must include a detailed description of innovative research or extension programs.
- Nominations stand for one award cycle.
Nomination Guidelines
Honor Bestowed
The award consists of a crystal inscribed award and honorarium. Awardee is presented with the award during the award ceremony at the APS Annual Meeting.
Awardees
2025 L. Holland
2024 J. Richards
2023 E. Pérez-López
2022 L. Thiessen
2021 J. M. Jacobs
2020 A. Ortega-Beltran
2018 S. Aruppillai
2017 L. M. Quesada
2016 M. L. Paret
2012 P. S. Ojiambo
2010 N. Wang
2008 P. Paul
2007 N. Peres
2006 K-H. Wang
2002 S. Hu
Award Background
Dr. William Boright Hewitt was a professor of plant pathology, University of California-Davis from 1937 to 1974. He had an active research program working on a spectrum of pathogens – bacteria, fungi, viruses, virus-like agents on a range of hosts including beans, olives, and stone fruits. His primary interest, however, was in the etiology, epidemiology and control of grapevine diseases. Furthermore, he is known for the separation and identification of several viruses in grapevine and is called the father of modern grapevine virology. He and his wife, Maybelle Ellen Ball Hewitt, realized there was a need for a prestigious APS award to recognize young plant pathologists for outstanding work in the early part of their careers after graduating with a Ph.D. Consequently, in 1999 they established the William Boright Hewitt and Maybelle Ellen Ball Hewitt Award to recognize an APS member who are within seven years of receiving a Ph.D. and have made an outstanding and innovative contribution directed towards the control of plant disease. The first award was presented at the 2002 APS Annual Meeting.
