The Montana Grain Growers Association and the Montana Grains Foundation are thrilled to announce the selection of Dr. Venugopal Mendu to be seated in the Winifred Asbjornson Plant Sciences Chair and an Associate Professor at Montana State University this coming January.
Dr. Mendu is currently an Associate Professor at Texas Tech University. He received his BS in agriculture and MS in genetics and plant breeding from A.N.G.R Agricultural University in India and a PhD from the University of Kentucky in plant physiology/molecular biology. He is a highly productive researcher who utilizes genomic, genetic, molecular, genome editing, and breeding technologies in his research program.
The Montana Plant Science Chair is a position funded in part by the cereal grain industry to support expanded research capacity critical to Montana grain growers.
“We welcome Dr. Mendu and look forward to working with him concerning cereal grain promulgation of new varieties and genetics within our own state.” MGGA President Mitch Konen said. “We are proud to have such a prestigious position within our state and land grant university.”
“I am very happy that we now have a person named to fill the position of the Endowed Plant Science Chair. This research program will focus on plant science research to help find solutions for the greatest economic challenges facing Montana’s grain producers.” MGF Chair Dale Schuler said.
This research program has great potential to compliment the work of the wheat breeders and others in the Plant Science and Plant Pathology Department at MSU. This has been a long process to get to this point, and both MGGA and MGF would like to thank everyone who has been involved in making this a success.
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MGGA
Dave has been a true servant to our youth and his community. Congratulations.