June 22, 1998
by John Zakour
Geneva, NY - Some believe that change is good, while others say, if it's not broken, don't fix it. Warren F. Lamboy, the new research leader of the USDA-ARS Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU), housed on the campus of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY, is keeping both of these sayings in mind.
"I truly believe that we are the best plant germplasm repository in the country," said Lamboy. He credits much of the unit's success to his predecessors, Steven Kresovich, Jim McFerson, and Phil Forsline. "These three laid a solid foundation for me to build on," he said. He also attributes much of PGRU's success to its close working relationship with Cornell University staff and faculty on both the Geneva and Ithaca campuses. PGRU has participated in projects with a number of Cornell faculty, and such collaborations serve both institutions well, said Lamboy.
Station Director Jim Hunter agrees. " I expect a smooth transition in the leadership of the Plant Genetic Resources Unit and a continued excellent working relationship between the Experiment Station and the Plant Genetic Resources Unit," he said. Hunter also noted that, in addition to being an outstanding scientist, Dr. Lamboy has the ability to work with people and to understand their needs and concerns.
Lamboy intends to follow the course set by his predecessors in cultivating molecular genetic diversity, but he will be putting his own unique spin on PGRU's operations. "Different personalities have their own strengths and weakness," Lamboy noted. " Some things will be different." He plans to take an informal, team-oriented approach to the unit. He also wants people to fully realize that PGRU has the potential to be of greater service to the American public. Lamboy says his mission is to encourage fuller utilization of the germplasm at PGRU and wider adoption of the methods and techniques developed by PGRU and Cornell personnel.
Lamboy came to Geneva in 1991 as a Research Associate, Vitis curator, biometrician, and molecular geneticist for the Department of Horticultural Sciences, though his work was carried out in PGRU. He was promoted to Senior Research Associate in 1996. The broad goal of Lamboy's program has been to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of germplasm acquisition, maintenance and security, documentation, characterization and evaluation, and distribution at the PGRU and in the National Plant Germplasm System.
Lamboy received a B.S. in mathematics with a computer science minor, from Carroll College, Waukesha, WI, in 1974, and an M.S. in statistics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1976. From 1976-1979, he did additional graduate study in statistics and genetics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and was a non-degree student in Botany at the University of Wisconsin, Madison from 1979-1984. He received his Ph.D. in plant biology from the University of Illinois, Urbana, in 1990.
Lamboy's web page is at http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/hort/faculty/lamboy/.
Note to Editors: Click on photograph above to download a 300 ppi version. If you prefer an electronic file or a hard copy of the photo, contact Rob Way at 315-787-2357, rfw2@cornell.edu.
Suggested caption: Warren F. Lamboy was named the new research leader of the USDA-ARS Plant Genetic Resources Unit, in Geneva, NY, effective June 21, 1998.
Photo Credit: R.Way/NYSAES/Cornell
Contact: Linda McCandless, Communications Services
Telephone: (315) 787-2417
e-mail: llm3@cornell.edu
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