Platform Database

Position: Population Geneticist

Work Address: 1111 South Mason Street, Fort Collins, CO 80525

Personal Website: http://www.ars.usda.gov/pandp/people/people.htm?personid=42033

Research Activities: At the NCGRP, Dr Richards’ research focuses on the population genetics of genebanking. His work develops methods that help locate and sample genetic diversity from the wild and monitor its integrity after it is brought in to the collection. Of particular interest to are the diversity of crop wild relatives and the history of their domestication. Often methods that are used to explore these processes span the boundary between phylogenetics and ecological/ population genetics.

Position: Plant Physiologist

Work Address: USDA-ARS-FRRL, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-6300

Phone: 435-797-3067 

Research Activities: I am involved with research related to the ecology and physiology of rangeland plants and reduced-input turf grasses. I conduct research involving the interaction between ecology/physiology and plant breeding and selection related to carbon isotope composition of plants, plant water relations, plant gas exchange, carbon dioxide fluxes, legume nitrogen fixation, and germplasm collection.

Position: President

Work Address: P.O.Box 27701-0, Houston, TX 77227

Phone: 713-816-368

Research Activities: Conservation of Agrobiodiversity, recognition of threats to Agrobiodiversity and implementation of conservation measures, Role of Biotechnology and genetics in developing Agrobiodiversity.

Position: Research Horticulturist

Work Address: USDA, ARS, Appalachian Fruit Research Station, 2217 Wiltshire Road, Kearneysville, WV 25430

Phone: 1-304-725-3451 Ext. 353 

Research Activities: The goal of my work is the development of new pear scions with improved fruit quality, productivity, disease and insect resistance, and new rootstock cultivars which induce early and sustained yields and control tree vigor. I use Pyrus germplasm from Europe and China in my breeding and research programs. Research focuses on the genetic control of important traits, and modes and mechanisms of host resistance to fire blight and pear psylla. I am a former chair and current member of the Pyrus Crop Germplasm Committee, a committee which advises the US National Plant Germplasm System and the National Clonal Germplasm Repository collection of Pyrus, Cydonia and related rootstock genera.

Position: Professor
Work Address: Department of Plant Sciences / MS1, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616-8780
Phone: +1-530-752-7743
Personal Website: http://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/gepts/geptslab.htm
Research Activities: My research focuses primarily on the biodiversity of Phaseolus beans and secondarily on Mesoamerican plant domesticates. I am interested in investigating the evolutionary factors, including domestication, affecting the levels and distribution of genetic diversity. My program is active across the spectrum from field collection to genomics. I also apply our findings to an active breeding program in common bean, lima bean, and chickpeas (the latter, a Near Eastern domesticate!).

Position: Professor and Extension Specialist
Work Address: One Shields Ave, Davis California
Phone: +1 5307549116
Personal Website: http://groups.ucanr.org/jacksonlab/
Research Activities: Louise Jackson is an ecologist whose expertise is mainly in plant-soil-ecosystem functions, and measuring the role of agrobiodiversity in intensively managed agricultural systems. She is also involved in research that demonstrates mitigation/adaptation tradeoffs for agricultural responses to climate change. Her research spans gene to landscape levels, and increasingly involves science-policy interfaces.

Position: Programme Advisor
Work Address: 220 East 42nd St, Daily News Building, 21st Floor, New York 10017
Phone: +1 6467814387
Personal Website: http://sgp.undp.org/
Research Activities: As biodiversity specialist for the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), Terence Hay-Edie’s prime responsibilities are to keep track of the programme portfolio in the biodiversity focal area; contribute to the overall SGP knowledge management and impact assessment systems; and to provide technical assistance and backstopping to SGP country programmes regarding biodiversity conservation and sustainable use approaches, protected area management, traditional knowledge and access and benefit-sharing agreements, as well as projects relating to indigenous peoples. (more…)

Position: advisor on genetic resources and food security
Work Address: 676 W. Pullman Rd. #303, Moscow, Idaho 83843
Research Activities: David Williams es un etnobotánico especializado en el origen, domesticación, diversificación y diseminación de las plantas cultivadas, y el papel preponderante de los agricultores tradicionales en dichos procesos, con enfoque en los cultivos nativos a las Américas. El Dr. Williams ha hecho extensivas investigaciones de campo en México, Guatemala, Guyana, Ecuador, Perú, Bolivia, Brasil, Paraguay y Argentina, y ha sido activo en promover la colaboración internacional y regional en la conservación y uso de los recursos fitogenéticos.

Position: Associate Professor
Work Address: 303 Tyson Building, University Park, PA, U.S.A., 16802
Phone: +1 8148632198
Research Activities: My interest in food production dates back to childhood when at the age of 10 I attempted my first vegetable garden. I pursued my passion to grow plants through higher education and hold a B.S. in Agriculture and a M.S. in Horticulture from West Virginia University, and a Ph.D. in Horticulture from Virginia Tech. (more…)