Indian American researcher Dr. Girish Panicker has been awarded the 2023 International Conservation Research Award for his outstanding achievements in conservation research.
Dr. Girish Panicker, who is currently serving as the director of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Conservation Research Program and a professor at Alcorn State University in Mississippi, was conferred the 2023 International Conservation Research Award by the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS).
According to a statement, his research on C-factor (Cover and Management) technology is used by graduate students and environmentalists to stop soil erosion and deal with climate change issues.
Dr Panicker, who was born in Kerala, has experimented with blueberries to prevent lung cancer and coronary heart disease. He also has collaborated with the American government impacting organic fertilizers, studied and produced muscadines with research designed to move toward eliminating breast cancer, and researched cover crops producing information for erosion prediction, nutrient management, and climate change, says a report by Alcorn University.
Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards like the Pride of India Award and the 2020 Organic Achievement Award from the American Society of Agronomy, and others.
“This is a great recognition for me and Alcorn State. I was so blessed that I got the job here. Dr. Bristow sent me to work on my Ph.D., and I came back to Alcorn because I knew that this project of conserving soil and water could help around the globe. Our research goes to so many countries around the world,” said Dr. Panicker.
Dr Panicker’s passion for horticulture and agronomy was nurtured on his family’s farm in Kerala where he was inspired by his mother’s commitment to natural farming and education. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Kerala. He has travelled across the world and worked with the Indian government and the United Nations.
Eventually, he joined Alcorn State University where he earned a master’s degree in agronomy and pursued his Ph.D. in horticulture with a specialization in pomology at Mississippi State University.
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