Makerere University don, Dr. Richard Edema has won the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES)International Alumni Award 2019 for his distinguished service to the university and society.
We are pleased to inform you that the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Alumni Society Board of Directors has selected you as a recipient for the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of your significant contributions to your career field, your college, university and your Community
Part of the award letter to Dr. Edema, from the President CFAES Alumni Society, Nick Retting reads
The International Alumni Award is given to outstanding international alumni representing, supporting, and promoting CFAES and Ohio State worldwide.
Our alumni serve as inspirations to our students and the entire CFAES community. They improve our college, their industries, and our world through their work
Cathann A. Kress, Vice president for agricultural administration and dean of CFAES, said in one of the news posts online
Dr. Edema was among the two (2) of the twelve (12) individuals who received the International Alumni Award during the annual event, held on Ohio State’s Columbus campus at the Fawcett Center.
10 others received awards in different categories including the Young Professional Award, the “Our alumni serve as inspirations to our students and the entire CFAES community. They improve our college, their industries, and our world through their work,” Cathann A. Kress, Vice president for agricultural administration and dean of CFAES, said.
When contacted, Dr. Edema said, this international award came as a total surprise.
“I came, I am far in Africa. I did not know that my own Alma-Mata was keenly following everything that I was doing. Actually, they have very good records up to the point where I am right now and I think after seeing it, they thought it was worth honoring me in that way.
When I traveled there it was really great. I was treated on the red carpet, handled as I have never seen before, with a lot of respect. Not many people get such awards especially in Africa, So, to be among those across the continent is no mean achievement”, Dr. Edema said.
He noted that Ohio state is a very big university with close to 70 thousand students, highly internationalized with many foreigners and, to be chosen among these was a big honor.
“I thank God for the blessings, you don’t do these things on your own. I thank my family, children, and wife. My wife has been always a cheerleader for everything I do. I thank her for giving me space and time to push my career to this level.
I also thank my university Makerere for nurturing me, giving me the environment in which I could do what I am doing, Prof Bashaasha the Principal, Prof. Adipala for being a good mentor since my undergraduate days and Rockefeller Foundation, Dr. Rufaro, funders who have supported my work here for the last over 10 years,
I thank all my colleagues, collaborators, and students who have made me push the best in myself. I thank the Vice-Chancellor and the entire university management for having been supportive in all that I have been doing. I am humbled and feel happy.”, He said.
About Dr. Richard Edema
Richard Edema is a senior lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Production Makerere University and Centre Director, of the recently established World Bank Centre of Excellence in Crop Improvement – Makerere University Regional Centre for Crop Improvement (MaRCCI). In the last nine (9) years), he oversaw the development of this program into a model for regional capacity building in East Africa.
He obtained his B.Sc (Agric. Hons.) in 1994 and M.Sc. (Agric.) in 1996 from Makerere University and his Ph.D. in plant pathology (molecular virology) at the Ohio State University in 2001. His doctoral research focused on analyzing the genetics of virulence of the Maize Streak Mastervirus (MSV).
He has been involved in several research projects such as the AGRA and RUFORUM Regional Capacity building program, regional sorghum improvement program funded by BIOEARN, and research on validation of molecular markers linked to important traits of maize, cassava, and sorghum.
He has worked on capacity building in East Africa for biosafety and environmental impact assessments of transgenic plants. Recently, he initiated a new cowpea improvement program at Makerere University that has quickly gained recognition. He has also worked on capacity building in East Africa for biosafety and environmental impact assessments of transgenic plants.
He has trained over 50 MSc and Ph.D. students. He has over 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications to his credit. Dr. Edema’s training and research programs have attracted over US$ 11 Million to the University.