FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 14, 2004
Contact: Linda McCandless, 607-254-5137, email llm3@cornell.edu

Taylor Appointed Chair of Cornell’s Horticultural Sciences Department at Geneva
By Joe Ogrodnick

Pictures are linked to hi-res scans Alan Taylor

GENEVA, NY: Alan Taylor has been appointed chairman of the horticultural sciences department at Cornell University, at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, (NYSAES) in Geneva, NY. Taylor's research includes the development of practical seed quality tests, understanding factors limiting germination and stand establishment, evaluation of new sowing methods, and pest control of seeds and seedlings. He replaces outgoing chairman Alan Lakso. The appointment was effective November 1, 2004.

“I am very appreciative of Alan Taylor’s willingness to step in as chair,” said Robert Seem, interim director at the NYSAES. “I have great confidence, as do his colleagues, that he can lead the department now that this call to service has been issued.”

Taylor and his colleagues are also leaders in the development of seed coating, specialized seed conditioning, priming and other technologies to enhance germination and stand establishment. This effort is directed primarily at high-value horticultural crops and conducted in cooperation with colleagues at Cornell, other universities and industry.

Taylor plans to maintain his research program in the area of seed science and technology, and is looking forward to the challenges and opportunities of becoming the next department chair. His strategy is to focus and downsize some projects in order to balance the workload between administration and research.

“I am fortunate to have a good faculty and a strong department to work with on issues that are important to the future of the department, the Station, the College, New York State fruit and vegetable industries and other stakeholders,” Taylor said.

Taylor is a member of the American Society of Horticultural Science, the Crop Science Society of America, the American Society of Agronomy and the International Seed Science Society.  He was the recipient of the 2003 Seed Science award for distinctive service in the development and use of quality seeds in agriculture.

# # # #