For Iowa State University News Releases

July 6, 2000

Contacts:
Alicia Carriquiry, Associate Provost, (515) 294-9591
Teddi Barron, News Service, (515) 294-4778

FINALIST NAMED FOR DIRECTOR OF PLANT SCIENCES INSTITUTE

AMES. Iowa — Stephen Howell, vice president for research of the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research Inc., Ithaca, N.Y., has been named a finalist in the search for the first director of Iowa State University's Plant Sciences Institute. He will visit campus July 12-14.

The Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) is a private, independent nonprofit corporation affiliated with Cornell University.

Howell, who holds the title of Boyce Schulze Downey scientist, is an internationally known researcher in the area of the genetics of plant pathology and physiology. He joined Cornell in 1988 and was director of plant molecular biology for BTI from 1988 to 1996. He became vice president for research in 1997. From 1969 to 1988, Howell was on the faculty at the University of California, San Diego.

Howell holds a doctoral degree from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md. (1967) and a bachelor's degree from Grinnell College (1963). He was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1976 and has served as visiting scientist in Japan, Australia and England.

Howell will participate in an open forum at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13, in 1414 Molecular Biology Building. He will speak on "Future Directions in Plant Biology and a Vision for the Plant Sciences Institute." A reception will follow at 4:30 p.m.

He will present a research seminar, "Expanding Horizons in Plant Genome Research: From the CaMV Genome to the Arabidopsis Genome," at 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 12, in 1652 Gilman Hall.

The complete schedule for Howell's visit and his vita are available at www.iastate.edu/~provost/staff/search/VitaHowell.html.

The Plant Sciences Institute at Iowa State University consists of eight research centers. Its goal is to become one of the world's leading institutes for plant science research, education and unbiased research-based information. Researchers are developing ways to help feed the growing world population, strengthen human health and nutrition, improve crop quality and yield, foster environmental sustainability and expand the uses of plants for biobased products and bioenergy.

-30-