Dr. Baenziger’s research in small grains breeding and genetics at the University of Nebraska added new dimensions to genetics efforts that have attracted international acclaim. His understanding of genetics allowed him the opportunity to utilize diverse scientific techniques to solve difficult problems. Steve’s team released wheat varieties with excellent disease resistance, and terrific milling and baking qualities that are well adapted to Nebraska’s diverse environments.
President Fenster, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great honor to be here tonight and a privilege to deliver this tribute to one of our 2009 Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement Honorees, Dr. P; Stephen Baenziger, E. W. Price Distinguished Professor of Biotechnology, at the University of Nebraska -Lincoln.
Upon the retirement of Drs. John Schmidt and Virgil Johnson (our Honorees in 1991), I was counseled by Chancellor Martin Massengale to hire an outstanding small grains breeder as Dr. Schmidt's replacement. Martin informed me that it would be a near impossible task to hire a faculty member with the capability to continue the same level of terrific accomplishments that the dynamic Schmidt/Johnson team had demonstrated over several decades. The employment of Dr. Baenziger in 1986 was a stroke of good fortune for IANR and the farmers of Nebraska. He has without a doubt carried on the legacy of excellence in small grains breeding and genetics at the University of Nebraska and has added new dimensions to the genetics efforts that attract additional international acclaim.
Steve and I became acquainted while he was a graduate student at Purdue University and I was a faculty member at that institution. He came to Purdue after completing his B.A. degree in Biochemical Sciences at Harvard University. Dr. Baenziger had a reputation for excellence even as a graduate student and the Purdue Agronomy Department faculty knew he was destined to become an outstanding scientist. Steve's professional accomplishments were foretold by earning M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in three years - an amazing feat at Purdue. I don't know of any other graduate student able to complete the two advanced degrees in three years.
Following completion of his Ph.D. degree in 1975, Steve was employed as a Research Geneticist by the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, MD where he worked on small grains genetics and another culture. His accomplishments in ARS attracted the notice of Monsanto Agricultural Products Company and in 1983 he was hired as a Research Manager in small grains. This was a time when Monsanto was greatly expanding their biotechnology research program. Fortunately, Steve became aware of John Schmidt's retirement and applied for the small grains breeding position in the Agronomy Department. He was employed in 1986 and the rest is history.
Since coming to Nebraska and taking over the small grains breeding program, Steve's team has released 21 hard red winter wheat varieties, 3 hard white winter wheat varieties. 4 wheat germplasms, and licensed 5 specialty wheat cultivars. These wheat varieties have excellent disease resistance, terrific milling, and baking qualities, and are well adapted to the one or more of Nebraska's diverse environments which include the western high plains, eastern rainfed, and irrigated situations. Among the earlier varieties Steve released were Arapahoe, Alliance, Pronghorn, and Windstar - cultivars that were well received by wheat producers in Nebraska and neighboring states. Recent releases include Millenium, Goodstreak, Camelot, Overland, Settler CL and Infinity CL. The later two varieties are among the first herbicide tolerant wheat cultivars released in the US. Steve's wheat variety development program is carried out in partnership with scientists employed by Agricultural Research Service and land grant universities in South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado. Varieties developed by Dr. Baenziger and released through the Foundation Seed Division occupy more than 60% of the wheat acreage in Nebraska and significant acreages in adjacent states. Steve's team has also developed and released 5 winter barley varieties, 1 barley germplasm, and 4 triticale cultivars. Some of the barley and triticale cultivars have been licensed to private seed companies for multiplication and sale to producers in the central High Plains.
Dr. Baenziger also has an enviable record in "basic research" supported largely by federal grants (more than $2 million in the last few years). His recent research has focused on plant breeding methodology (particularly related to gene X environment interactions) and the application of molecular markers to crop improvement and the identification of new genetic traits. By testing wheat lines in many environments in Nebraska and throughout the High Plains, Steve has a wealth of data to better understand the interactions that are vitally important in determining yield. During his career, he has been amazingly productive in scientific output. Steve has published 165 refereed journal articles, 28 proceeding articles, 13 book chapters and has edited one book. A number of his publications report truly groundbreaking research which is recognized on a world-wide basis. This recognition has resulted in invitations to present research findings and engage in scientific dialog in many other countries. In fact, Steve recently returned by a sabbatical leave in Australia.
Dr. Beanziger is also an excellent teacher and mentor of graduate students. He is the primary instructor for Agronomy 815A and B, two of the three modules that comprise the "Introduction to Plant Breeding" course. These modules are the first graduate level courses that many plant breeding students will take and perhaps the only plant breeding course that students in related fields will take during graduate studies. He is also the primary instructor for a module on advanced plant breeding topics. Steve uses web-based technology to teach his courses in traditional and distance education modes. Graduate students mentored by Dr. Baenziger hold important genetics and breeding positions in university, federal and private entities throughout the U.S. and abroad. His students universally receive an outstanding education and well prepared to carry out professional assignments upon completion of their advanced degrees.
Steve is an outstanding communicator. He is equally at ease describing the characteristics of wheat varieties with Nebraska producers or discussing molecular biology with basic researchers anywhere in the world. Dr. Baenziger is truly a renaissance man in that he has a very broad range of interests and a knowledge base that is astounding. His unique understanding of genetics allows him to bring many diverse scientific techniques to solving difficult problems.
Dr. Baenziger has demonstrated outstanding leadership and service to UNL, IANR and his profession. Among many elective offices, he has served as President of the Crop Science Society of America, Chair of Section O (Agriculture) of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Chair of the Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee, Council memberat-large for the American Institute of Biological Sciences, and Chair of the Wheat Genomics Subcommittee of the National Wheat Improvement Council. He has also served as interim Head of the Department of Agronomy, Editor-in-Chief of the Crop Science Society of America, Editor of the journal Crop Science, reviewer for several federal competitive grant programs, and a member of numerous university, departmental and professional society committees. Recently, Steve was selected to become a member of the Board of Trustees for the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines - a distinct honor.
Many organizations have recognized Steve's accomplishments. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America. Among other honors he has received are the Distinguished Agricultural Alumnus Award from Purdue University, Crop Science Research Award from the Crop Science Society of America, Distinguished Service Award from the Nebraska Crop Improvement Association, Agronomic Achievement Award from the American Society of Agronomy, Outstanding Scientist from the Nebraska Chapter of Sigma Xi, and the Crop Science Society of America Young Crop Scientist Award.
Steve's expertise has been recognized by private companies and international agencies. He has served as a consultant to Monsanto, Eli Lilly, Agripro Biosciences Inc, the International Atomic Energy Agency/Food and Agricultural Organization, Grain Biotech Australia, Pty, Crop Adaptation Genomics and was a member of the group conducting an External Program and Management Review of International Center for Arid and Dryland Agriculture in Syria.
Although I have been observing Steve's career over the past twenty plus years, it wasn't until preparing this tribute that the totality of his accomplishments came into sharp focus. There is no doubt in my mind that Steve is one of the truly outstanding scientists at UNL and is a Nebraska treasure. Dr. Baenziger and his wife Karen live in Lincoln. It gives me great pleasure to present to you a 2009 Honoree of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement, Dr. Steve Baenziger.
