Guo-Qing Song, Professor and Associate Director of Michigan State University's Plant Biotechnology Resource and Outreach Center, was recently honored with the American Society for Horticultural Science's Outstanding International Horticulturist Award.
The award recognizes Song for "extensive contributions to international horticulture, unwavering dedication to sharing his expertise and educating the next generation of plant scientists, and his leadership and transformative impact on horticultural science."
Song has shared his expertise in molecular genetics, plant transformation, gene-editing, tissue culture, and plant regeneration and micropropagation in partnerships and programs with horticultural peers and institutions around the world.
Song is instrumental in the development of a recent international partnership through MSU's Alliance for African Partnership with university colleagues in Kenya, which led to a $5 million grant establishing a new international research center for biotechnology in east Africa. The project represents "a significant milestone" for the broader African academic research community and, "a beacon of hope for aspiring scientists, providing them with access to cutting edge genetic engineering and biotechnology," according to the Vice-Chancellor of Egerton University, Professor Isaac Kibwage.
During the past 15 years, Song has trained 180 international horticulturists (ranging from undergraduates and growers to graduate students, postdoctoral associates, and visiting scientists) from 30 institutions in 13 countries around the world – including China, Egypt, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, and Thailand.
These collaborators and students included three Fulbright Scholars, five Borlaug Fellows, and Dr. Gérardine Mukeshimana, who served as the Minister of Agriculture for the Republic of Rwanda from 2014-2023.
Song's efforts to share his knowledge and build a network of collaborators includes organizing seminars, webinars and workshops at national and international conferences (e.g., Plant and Animal Genomics, International Society for Horticultural Science, and the American Society for Horticultural Science), as well as long-term commitments to professional working groups and committees (e.g., Plant Biotechnology, Outstanding Fruit Publication award, Outstanding Vegetable Publication Award, and Asian Horticulture).
In addition, Song's recognized expertise and experience provide him the opportunity to influence scientific literature, and develop the written communication skills of colleagues, as a member of the editorial boards of three journals with international readership, including serving as a consulting editor for the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science.
Source: Michigan State University.