Three IIGB/CEPCEB members and faculty in the Botany & Plant Sciences department, Susan Wessler, Sean Cutler, and Linda Walling, were just announced as winners of major awards from the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB), making UC Riverside the only university in the country to receive so many honors.

Susan Wessler, a Distinguished Professor of Genetics in the Botany & Plant Sciences department and University of California President’s Chair, was awarded the prestigious Stephen Hales Prize. This award was established in 1927 to honor plant biologists who have made noteworthy contributions in the field. Sean Cutler, an Associate Professor of Plant Cell Biology, was the recipient of the highly competitive Charles Albert Shull Award. This award recognizes young researchers under 45 years of age or within ten years of receiving their Ph.D. who are making outstanding contributions in the field of plant biology. Both Susan Wessler and Sean Cutler will be invited to present at the next annual ASPB Plant Biology meeting.  Linda Walling, a Professor of Genetics, was honored as an ASPB Fellow for her  contributions in the areas of plant defense responses and plant-insect interactions and her long-standing service to the scientific community.

These outstanding achievements bring recognition to the Institute, the Botany & Plant Sciences department, the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences and UCR.  The Institute congratulates the award recipients on their significant contributions to the field of plant biology.