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Historic, Archive Document i Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. — aS21 R44U558 ‘A'RS Science Waff Tame of September 2016 8, Agricultural Research Service U.S. Department of Agriculture A special website is available that features photographs andbiographiesofallARSScienceHallofFameinductees since the inaugural year of 1986. Special features include browse and search functions and video clips. Please visitwww.ars.usda.gov/careers/hof/ Agricultural Research Service Science Hall of Fame TheARSScienceHallofFamewasinauguratedin1986. Wedetermined that each succeeding year, one or more present or former scientists with theAgricultural ResearchService could be selected, subjectto the following criteria: The selectee made widely recognized impact on agricultural research bythesolutionofa significantagricultural problem throughresearch. The selectee is a personwhose scientific accomplishments and stature continuetoaffecttheagriculturalresearchcommunityand/orinfluence the developmentofscience-based agricultural policy. Theselectee'scharacterandrecord ofachievementhavebroughtmajor recognition and credibility to ARS and/or USDA, and are worthy of emulationbyyoungeragricultural scientists. The selectee's achievements must be or have been nationally and/or internationally recognizedbypeers inthe scientific community. Todaywe honorfouroutstanding scientistsbyinductingtheminto the A Science Hall of Fame. plaque citing the achievements of each will be added to the permanent exhibit in the George Washington Carver Center, Beltsville, MD. ChavondaJacobs-Young Administrator 16 2 0 Science Hall of Fame Thomas Jackson J. ResearchHydrologist Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory MD Beltsville, Formanagingagriculturalwaterresources throughsatelliteremotesensing. Wateravailabilityinsoilisthesinglemostlimitingfactorincropproductivity. Tracingthatwaterwithinlayersofearthandunderever-changingcanopiesof vegetationhasbeencomplexandchallenging. ResearchhydrologistThomas Jackson'spioneeringworktodevelopand J. adaptsatellite-basedmicrowavesensorsopenedthewaytoprecisetrackingof global soilmoisture.Hewasthefirstscientisttodevelopawaytoremovethe effectsofthevegetationlayerfrommicrowaveremotesensingmeasurements, a milestoneachievement. Jackson'salgorithmsmergingdatafromdiversepartsoftheelectromagnetic spectrumarefundamentaltoresearchinthisfieldtodayandarebeing usedinsatelliteremotesensingprojectsoftheEuropeanSpaceAgency,the JapaneseAerospaceApplicationsAgency, andNationalAeronauticsandSpace — Administration(NASA) nearlyeverycountryandgroupinspacenowto gathermoredetailedsoilmoisturedatafromlargeswathsoftheworld. BenefitsflowingfromthefoundationlaidbyJackson'sworkincludeimproved cropyieldmonitoringandforecasting,betterfamineearlywarningsystems (particularlyinsub-SaharanAfricaandSouthAsia,wherehungerremainsa majorhumanhealthfactor),breakthroughsinhydrologicandclimatemodeling, andevenidentificationofhuman, animal, andplantdiseaseoutbreaksdriven byexcessordeficitofsoilmoisture. ThebreadthanddepthofJackson'scontributionsarereflectedinhiselection asFellowoffourdiversescientificsocieties:theAmericanGeophysical Union,AmericanMeteorologicalSociety, InstituteofElectricalandElectronics Engineers, andSocietyofPhoto-opticalInstrumentationEngineers.Amonghis manyotherhonorsareaPresidentialRankAward (2012),ARSDistinguished SeniorScientistoftheYear(2002),WilliamT.PecoraAward (NASAand DepartmentoftheInterior,2004), andIEEEGeoscienceandRemoteSensing SocietyHighestImpactPaperAward(2015). 16 2 0 Science Hall of Fame Cletus P. Kurtzman ResearchMicrobiologist MycotoxinPreventionandApplied Microbiology ResearchUnit Peoria, IL Forgroundbreakingresearchon theidentificationandutilizationofmicrobes to advanceagriculture biotechnology andmedicine. , , CletusP.Kurtzmanisworldrenownedforhispioneeringdevelopmentand useofmolecularbiologytechniquestoidentifyanddescribemicroorganismsof agricultural,biotechnological,scientific, andmedicalimportance.Hisresearch fundamentallychangedthefieldofyeasttaxonomyandgaverisetonew, improvedmethodsofstudyingthegeneticdiversityofthesemicroorganisms anddeterminingtherelationshipsamongspecies. Kurtzmanidentifiedgenesequencesenablingresearchersworldwideto rapidlyandaccuratelydistinguishoneyeastspeciesfromanother.Heledin thedevelopmentofacomprehensivedatabaseandbarcode-basedsystemof sequenceinformationtofacilitatethediagnosisofallknownyeastsspeciesin theAscomycetesfungaldivision.Hisgeneticdiversityresearchalsousheredin betterpredictionsonthebiologicalpropertiesofnewlydiscoveredyeastspecies. Kurtzman'sowndiscoveryofyeastscapableoffermentingsimpleplantsugars iscreditedwithrevivingindustryeffortstoconvertcropbiomassmaterials,like combran,intoethanolfuel.OtherdiscoveriesincludeStarmerellayeastspecies thatproducenaturalsurfactantscalled"sophorolipids,"whichhavepotential useindetergents,cosmetics,paints,herbicides, andotherproducts.Kurtzman's impactalsoextendstotheclinicaldiagnosisofopportunisticyeastpathogensin humansandthecommercializationofabeneficialspeciestobiologicallycontrol Botrytisrotinstoredgrapes. Kurtzman'sleadershipincludesservingasanARSresearchunitleader(1981- 2010),mentoringyoungscientists,andoverseeingthecurationoftheARS CultureCollection,whichnumbers100,000microbialstrains. Aprodigiousscientificauthorandoft-invitedlecturer, Kurtzmanhasreceived numerousawardsandhonors,includingthePresidentialRankAward(2004) andafoundingfellowappointmenttotheInternationalMycologicalAssociation in2014.HeisamemberoftheInternationalCommissiononYeasts.