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April 10, 1998
Woodson named Purdue Agriculture
research director
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- William R. "Randy" Woodson has been named associate dean and
director of Agricultural Research Programs for the Purdue University School of Agriculture.
Woodson, a native of Fordyce, Ark., joined the Purdue faculty in 1985. An internationally
renowned researcher on the physiology of flowering plants and a popular teacher,
he has been head of Purdue's Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
since 1996. He will resign that position when his new appointment takes effect July
1. He succeeds Bill Baumgardt, who retired Jan. 31 after 17 years as director of
agricultural research.
As administrator of all research programs in the School of Agriculture, Woodson will
oversee 295 faculty who devote about 40 percent of their time to research with annual
outlays of $47 million. He said he also sees the position as an advocate for the
faculty and for science.
"Randy represents the next generation of research directors," said Victor L. Lechtenberg,
dean of the School of Agriculture. "He understands and has used the most modern tools
of molecular biology and biotechnology, and he also understands the application of science and technology in the field. He has the scientific credibility and reputation
to succeed as leader of a pre-eminent agricultural research institution."
Woodson said it is an exciting time to be in agricultural research and he is encouraged
by recent federal developments, specifically a bill before Congress that would allocate
new funds for agricultural research. If passed, scientists would compete for the money based on national priorities.
"Ten years ago we didn't know E. coli O157 would become a household word after an
epidemic food safety threat to children and the elderly. Five years ago no one could
expect animal waste to be front page news," Woodson said. "Consumers and producers
and scientists need these funds to be able to find solutions to the problems that affect
all of us."
Woodson said the convergence of technology and biology will both benefit and challenge
agriculture.
"For instance, the plant soon will be the entire package. Through biotechnology, the
plant will have built-in pest resistance, it will be customized for specific soils
and climates, it will have specific characteristics for use in specific products,"
he said. "Producers will be able to expect better yields from hardier crops that command
premium prices. At the same time, they'll also have to know enough to make the right
decisions to select and grow those crops.
"No longer will farmers follow a cookbook that we provide them. Instead of one procedure,
they'll have to decide which one of several to use."
Woodson has lectured worldwide on his research into floral senescence. He has published
more than 60 articles in scientific journals, and he received the 1994 Agricultural
Research Award from the School of Agriculture for research excellence and contributions to Indiana agriculture.
Woodson was the first to show that plants deliberately killed off their flowers once
they had achieved pollination. Scientists previously had thought that flowers wilted
of old age, but Woodson showed an invisible gaseous hormone called ethylene was released by the plant and signaled the flower cells to shut down. The work has important
implications for prolonging the life of cut flowers and, because all plants have
flowers, for helping to control pollination in food crops. Woodson said he will continue
some of his research activities.
He said he will regret leaving the classroom. A popular teacher who ranked high in
student evaluations, Woodson and horticulture Professor Bob Joly won a $150,000 National
Science Foundation grant in 1994 to outfit a student lab with the latest scientific
instrumentation.
Another of his accomplishments on behalf of students was the formation and direction
of the Plant Biology Program that brought together all of the graduate plant science
disciplines from the Schools of Agriculture, Pharmacy and Science.
Woodson also presided over the construction of a $7.2 million research and teaching
plant growth facility. The complex will be dedicated later this year.
Sources: Randy Woodson, (765) 494-1306; e-mail,
wrw@hort.purdue.edu
Victor L. Lechtenberg, (765) 494-8391
Writer: Chris Sigurdson, (765) 494-8415; e-mail,
sig@ecn.purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
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