FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 2, 2004
Contact: Linda McCandless, 607-254-5137, email llm3@cornell.edu

Cornell Plant Pathologist Robert C. Seem Named Phytopathological Fellow
By Joe Ogrodnick

Pictures are linked to hi-res scans

Robert C. Seem

GENEVA, NY: Robert C. Seem, professor of plant pathology and interim director of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY, was elected a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Association (APS) at their recent annual meeting. The APS bestows the honor in recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of plant pathology or to the society. Seem was nominated for his contributions to his institution, his society and his science.

In the area of original research, Seem is widely respected for his creative and inclusive approach, and for applying new technologies to solving problems. For instance, he is a leading authority on the use of geographic information systems and high-resolution weather forecasting to manage plant diseases.

Over the last 20 years, Seem and his colleagues have contributed to the understanding and management of grape powdery mildew, and made significant contributions to the understanding of apple scab, both diseases of worldwide importance.

In the area of professional and public service, Seem has greatly facilitated international communication, cooperation, and collaboration among scientists investigating grape diseases. He organized and hosted the first International Workshop on Grapevine Downy and Powdery Mildew which was followed by three subsequent workshops in Germany, Australia, and California.

During his tenure as associate director at the Experiment Station, Seem has been closely involved with land acquisition and the improvement of field facilities. He has also been one of the guiding forces behind the development of the Cornell Agriculture & Food Technology Park, the first research park to be associated with an agricultural experiment station.

Seem is widely sought as a collaborator. His lab has served as the research base for scientists from Italy, Germany, France, Brazil, South Korea, India, Australia, Norway, and Sri Lanka. Although he has no formal teaching responsibilities, Seem's skills and contributions in mentoring graduate students and faculty are widely respected. 

The productivity and reputation of Seem's research team can be estimated from his program's success in attracting competitive grants and publications. Since 1990, his program has been awarded $1.157M in competitive grant funds. During the same period, Seem has authored or co-authored 25 papers in the journals Plant Disease and Phytopathology, 10 papers in other refereed journals, and made 65 presentations at APS meetings and other national and international conferences. He has also served as associate editor of Phytopathology, senior editor of Phytopathology, and associate editor of the Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology.
# # # #

Home | About Us | Academics | Commodity & Diagnostic Help | Departments & Units News & Events | Public Outreach | Publications | Station Life