IRRI Scientist Receives Crop Science Society of America Highest Award for 2024

WISCONSIN, United States (25 July 2024) - The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is proud to announce that Principal Scientist and Regional Director for Africa Dr. Abdelbagi Ismail has been named a 2024 Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA).

Dr. Ismail is recognized for his outstanding contributions to crop science through research, education, and national and international service.

The CSSA Fellows Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Society. Members nominate colleagues based on professional achievements and meritorious service. Up to 0.3 percent of the Society's active and emeritus members may be elected as Fellows each year. The award includes a certificate, a complimentary ticket to the award ceremony, and a CSSA Fellow pin.

An internationally recognized authority on plant responses and adaptation to abiotic stresses, Dr. Ismail has published over 270 peer-reviewed articles and chapters, focusing on agronomy, breeding, and the physiological and molecular mechanisms of stress tolerance. His work on the characterization and introduction of the SUB1 gene that allows rice plants to survive in completely flooded areas has helped vulnerable rice farming communities both in Asia and Africa.

In addition to his current role as Regional Director for Africa at IRRI, Dr. Ismail has held various leadership positions internationally. He is actively involved with the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America, where he has served on and chaired committees, and acted as Associate and Technical Editor for Agriculture and Environmental Letters.

Dr. Ismail is also a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and a Fellow (Foreign) of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, India.

In 2023, Dr. Ismail received the David and Betty Hamburg Award for Science Diplomacy from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

He holds a BSc and MSc from the University of Khartoum, Sudan, and a PhD in Botany from the University of California, Riverside.