The Association of Australian Cotton Scientist’s Awards 2019 (which will be presented at the Association’s conference dinner in October) are now open for nominations.

AACS award nominations

There are three awards that you may wish to consider nominating somebody or yourself:

• The AACS Early Career Scientist Encouragement Award – acknowledges the enthusiasm and successful pursuit of cotton science by an early career scientist that encompasses the values of the Association (innovation, collaboration and impact). Submit 1 -2 paragraphs that describes this.
• The AACS Service to Cotton Science – An award that acknowledges the substantial enthusiasm and successful pursuit of cotton science in recent times by an association member that encompasses the values of the Association (Innovation, collaboration and impact). Submit 1 -2 paragraphs that describes this.
• The AACS Scientific Publication Award – A paper (published since the last AACS conference in September 2017) that has contributed to Cotton Science that encompasses the values of the Association (Innovation, collaboration and impact). Submit a pdf of the publication for consideration along with a sentence or two that addresses each value. 

Nominations can be emailed to AACS Secretary Linda Smith by close of business  on 20 September 2019. Include ‘AACS Award Nomination’ in the subject heading.

Previous award winners can be found here.

AACS life membership nominations

With our conference rapidly approaching, one of the pleasures of the Association’s executive is to induct life members into the association.

The criteria is a person who has retired from a research/extension/leadership position who has had a significant and longstanding career in contributing to Australian cotton science.

Please email AACS President Paul Grundy with your nominations.

Our current life members can be found here.

Congratulations to Dr Linda Smith (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland), announced Cotton Researcher of the Year for 2019 at the recent Australian Cotton Industry Awards in Griffith.

Linda’s research in cotton pathology has had significant impact on disease management within the industry, particularly on soil-bourne pathogens such as fusarium and verticillium wilts and reniform nematode.

Congratulations also to the other finalists: Dr Jamie Hopkinson (DAF) for his work on insect resistance and natural enemies, and Kieran O’Keeffe (CottonInfo) for his contribution to agronomy development and extension, particularly in southern NSW.

More information can be found on the finalists (and nominations in previous years) from the Australian Cotton Industry Awards website.

The research awards are sponsored by Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD).

Cotton Researcher of the Year 2019 finalists Dr Linda Smith, Kieran O’Keeffe, and Dr Jamie Hopkinson (right) pose with CSD staff (left).