Dr. Edward Hacskaylo, CCAS BA ‘49, MA ‘50, PhD ‘54, will be recognized at the Seventh International Conference on Mycorrhizae in New Dehli, India. The conference takes place from July 8-13, 2013. He will be formally recognized for his many contributions in the ecology and physiology of mycorrhizae, his support, encouragement and mentoring of numerous young investigators to pursue mycorrhizae research, and particularly his foresight and diligence in initiating the First North American Conference on Mycorrhizae in 1969 at Urbana, Illinois that provided a foundation for the eventual establishment of the International Conferences on Mycorrhizae.
As an authority on symbiotic associations of plant roots and fungi, Dr. Hacskaylo recognized that in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s there were few scientists seriously studying mycorrhizae. His leadership in establishing the North American Conference on Mycorrhizae (NACOM) in collaboration with several colleagues was extremely valuable in awakening the interest of the scientific community to the importance of mycorrhizae in the functioning of plant communities, and truly stimulated more research on mycorrhizae in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere.
During his career, Dr. Hacskaylo authored or co-authored more than 80 publications, was active in many professional societies and associations and chaired numerous national and international professional research committees. He has received numerous awards for his achievements including the Society of American Foresters’ Barrington-Moore Memorial Research Award and the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center’s Outstanding Scientist Award. He has continued sharing his interests and knowledge by serving in various capacities with numerous professional societies and non-profit conservation and educational organizations.
