The Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) continued a time-honored tradition this year with its presentation of 2007 CSSA Fellows at an Awards Ceremony at its Annual Meeting on Nov. 6 in New Orleans. Dr Leah Brilman Director of Research & Technical Services for Seed Research of Oregon, a division of Pickseed, was one of the ten awarded at this prestigious event. From among thousands of society members, only ten were elected as Fellows in 2007.
The Society has been electing outstanding members to the position of Fellow since 1985.
Colleagues within the Society nominate worthy members, and the CSSA Fellows Committee carefully ranks the nominees to make the final selection. CSSA has chosen 10 individuals based on their professional achievements and meritorious service to receive this honor in 2007.
Everyone at Seed Research of Oregon and Pickseed is proud of and congratulates Dr Brilman for receiving this well deserved and most prestigious honor. She is widely acknowledged as being a leading expert on Turfgrass breeding with particular emphasis on the bentgrasses, warm season grasses, rhizomatous tall fescues and endophyte enhanced fine fescues. She has been responsible for the development and release of over 70 commercial varieties. Some examples are Tyee and Mackenzie creeping bentgrasses, SR 7200 Velvet bentgrass, SR 8500 and SR 8600 tall fescue, Grande and Grande II rhizomatous tall fescues and SR 5100 Chewings and SR 3150 Hard fescues (Both endophyte enhanced). She is well known for her communication skills and has conducted numerous educational seminars both in the U.S. and Internationally. Thousands have attended her technical seminars.