James Faust , Ph.D. , a professor of floriculture physiology at Clemson University and a leading expert on poinsettias , is the 2021 receiver of SAF ’s Alex Laurie Award , honour an individual who has made broad - scope , long - lasting contributions to inquiry or education in the floriculture manufacture . Marvin Miller , market research coach at Ball Horticultural Co. , presented the prize to Faust on September 23 during the Stars of the Industry dinner party at SAF Orlando 2021 , the administration ’s 136th Annual Convention , which took place at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort in Orlando , Florida .
After graduating from Murray State University , Faust forge in a commercial-grade greenhouse , where his very first job was growing 12 acres of poinsettias . The experience sparked a rage that has continued for more than 30 years . Faust , who continued his formal education at Michigan State University , has studied the plant in its native home — Mexico — as well as at the Paul Ecke Ranch in Encinitas , California , which was the humans ’s large manufacturer of poinsettias before it sold in 2012 . At Clemson , he oversees an ongoing study on brightness and heat ’s effects on poinsettias .
Faust ’s enquiry has been fund by the American Floral Endowment for many year and let in body of work on daily light integrals , developing protocols to prevent leaf necrosis on cut efflorescence , and biological ascendency . Most latterly , he has spent the past five years conduct practical enquiry on botrytis at GR Chia SAS , one of the big flower growers in Colombia .
“ His teachings have been of priceless help peculiarly because he come from the weed and garden industry , ” says Juan Carlos Gonzalez , executive vice President of the United States at GR Chia SAS and an AFE control board member . " He has a humble attitude that help him hear and memorize from the cut flower manufacture , while also being ready and unforced to answer our questions . His only aim is to ameliorate flush lineament and productiveness . ”
For his botrytis project , Faust recruited three Spanish - talk graduate students in his program to help with research and in communicating the solvent . “ While it is easy to see his success in research , he has demonstrated a special talent to form with and mentor students , ” tell Terril Nell , AAF , professor and chair emeritus at the University of Florida and enquiry coordinator for AFE .
Faustus is also a founding member of the Floriculture Research Alliance , a collaboration across universities and organisation to modernise science - based solutions to sustainability subject for floriculture . This retiring summer , Faust , along with John Dole , release a script entitled “ Cut Flowers and Foliages ” that they hope to become the direct external text edition for the gash flower industriousness
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