Norsworthy was also honored as outstanding researcher of 2018 and was co-author on the work recognized as for outstanding paper-weed technology during the society’s annual meeting held in late January at Arlington, Va.

Chris Meyer, a Ph.D. candidate in weed science at the University of Arkansas, was named outstanding grad student.

“We’re extremely proud of the achievements of our faculty and students,” said Robert Bacon, head of the Crop, Soils and Environmental Sciences department within the Division of Agriculture and the Bumpers College. “Our weed science group is one of the best in the nation and this week’s recognition from the Weed Science Society of America — the highest in this field — certainly underscores that excellence.

“It’s especially rewarding considering the past year, when weed science was on the front page as dicamba made headlines not only around the country but around the world,” Bacon said. “Jason was one of weed scientists in the glare as he and others had their research scrutinized over and over as the issue drew the attention of media and industry.”

There were other Arkansas connections honored this year.

Nicholas Korres, co-honored as an outstanding reviewer, is a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture working under the direction of Norsworthy. Korres’ work revolves around weed demographics and population dynamics within crops and cropping systems or between diverse environments, weed ecophysiological aspects and weed-crop interactions.

Prashant Jah of Montana State University-Bozeman, the outstanding early career weed scientist, earned his PhD at the University of Arkansas.

Also this week, Bob Scott, Extension weed scientist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture was named president of the Southern Weed Science Society.