LAKE ALFRED, Florida. On May 12, 2009, the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science held the second annual UF/IFAS Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Awards ceremony in Gainesville. More than 65 researchers were honored at the ceremony; three were from the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, FL, Drs. Frederick Gmitter Jr., James P. Syvertsen, and Jude W. Grosser.
Dr. Mark McLellan, IFAS Research Dean and FAES Director, thanked the researchers for their dedication and hard work. “It is time to salute some exceptional researchers for their passion … for their search and discovery of new ideas, and their intensity to create solutions — solutions for our lives,” he said during the ceremony.
“The times we’re facing are indeed challenging, and sometimes we can get lost in the morass,” UF President Dr. Bernie Machen stated as he addressed the scientists. “This last hour helps bring us right back to why we’re here … solving the problems of our world.” Dr. Machen also noted that it was a refreshing change to focus on research accomplishments rather than tight budgets.
Dr. Frederick (Fred) G. Gmitter, Jr., Professor of Horticultural Sciences, specializing in citrus genetics and breeding, was recognized as one of just a few “One Million Dollar Plus Grant” awardees for 2008. Beginning as a graduate assistant, Dr. Gmitter has been with UF/IFAS Horticulture Sciences for the past 27 years.
Also recognized was Dr. James (Jim) P. Syvertsen. Dr. Syvertsen began his career with UF/IFAS as a postdoc in the UF/Fruit Crops Department and has worked at CREC for the past 31 years. Dr. Syvertsen was recognized at the ceremony as one of six IFAS University of Florida Research Foundation Professors for 2008-2011.
Unable to attend the award ceremony, Dr. Jude W. Grosser, a former recipient of the UFRF Award, along with the other members of the research team, Drs. Don Rockwood and Matias Kirst, were recognized for the Research Innovation Award for their project entitled “Propagation, Demonstration, Genotyping, and Pretreatment of Superior Eucalyptus Clones for Energy Production in Florida.” Dr. Grosser has been a research scientist at CREC for the past 25 years.
A former UFRF recipient and now CREC Interim Center Director, Dr. Jacqueline (Jackie) Burns, also attended the ceremony.
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