John Snider, University of Georgia assistant professor, was named the Outstanding Young Cotton Physiologist during the 2015 Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio.

This prestigious national honor was awarded to Snider primarily for his work on alternate irrigation methods. Snider received a plaque and a $1,000 award from Dow AgroSciences, sponsor of the program.

Snider was nominated byDerrick M. Oosterhuis, distinquished professor at the University of Arkansas, under whom Snider completed his doctorate degree in 2010. Snider earned a master’s degree in biology at the University of Central Arkansas in 2007 and a bachelor’s degree, also in biology, at Henderson State (Arkansas) University in 2005.

Snider now works at the Tifton Campus of UGA, where he primarily focuses on irrigation research. The major goals for Snider’s research are to:

Evaluate alternative irrigation methods and scheduling strategies for optimizing yield and fiber quality while minimizing irrigation demands

Identify water-use efficient, drought-tolerant cotton varieties that are capable of maintaining adequate yields under water-limited conditions.

Oosterhuis said Snider “has an insatiable interest in plant research.”

“John is one of the most capable and intelligent graduate students I have had in the past 30 years,” Oosterhuis said in the nomination letter. “John impressed me with his enthusiasm, commitment to science, his work ethic, innovative ability in research and academic integrity.”

The award was initiated by the Beltwide Cotton Agronomy & Physiology Conference several years ago to provide a means of recognition for cotton physiology researchers in the early part of their careers. It is modeled after the Outstanding Cotton Physiologist Award given by the same conference for career long accomplishments.

The criteria for the Young Physiologist Award is that nominations be submitted by a peer prior to the nominee turning 40 years old and during the first 10 years after the nominee receives his or her highest academic degree.

Dow AgroSciences has been the sponsor since the inception of the award.