Fellow of ASPB Award
Established in 2007, the Fellow of ASPB Award may be granted to current members in recognition of direct service to the Society and distinguished and long-term contributions to plant biology. Areas of contribution may include education, mentoring, outreach, research and professional and public service. Examples of relevant Society service include, but are not restricted to, service on or on behalf of ASPB committees, service on editorial boards of ASPB journals, and active involvement in ASPB meetings. Current members of ASPB who have contributed to and been members of the Society for at least 10 years cumulative prior to their nomination are eligible for nomination. Recipients of the Fellow of ASPB honor, which may be granted to no more than 0.2% of the current membership each year, receive a certificate of distinction and a lapel pin.
2026 Winner: Liwen Jiang
Liwen Jiang is the Choh-Ming Li Professor of Life Sciences of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he serves as Pro-Vice Chancellor for external affairs, Associate Dean for Research, and Director of centers focused on the study of cell, molecular, and developmental biology and plant and agricultural biotechnology. His work has focused on the endomembrane/secretory system. His team has employed state-of-the-art cryogenic electron microscopy to obtain impressive 3-D images of subcellular structures in variety of plant tissues. Liwen has served the plant biology community through extensive editorial service to journals, including the Plant Cell, and via conference organization. Liwen is also a dedicated and effective mentor, who encourages his students’ independence and career development.
2026 Winner: Pradeep Kachroo
Pradeep Kachroo is Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Kentucky. He founded and directs the Center for Agricultural and Life Sciences Metabolomics (CALM), a metabolomics and lipidomics mass spec platform that supports and educates investigators at all levels from multiple states. His research program has advanced our understanding of the molecular and metabolic basis of systemic acquired resistance. Pradeep’s interdisciplinary work also has uncovered immune signaling pathways that are conserved across plants and animals, thus impacting human health. Pradeep is recognized for his tireless commitment to supporting ASPB and the broader plant science community. Pradeep has served ASPB as a member of the Science Policy Committee and has an unwavering commitment to mentoring and community building.
2026 Winner: Sona Pandey
Sona Pandey is a globally recognized leader in plant heterotrimeric G-protein signaling, whose research has significantly shaped the field. As a Principal Investigator at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, she leads a program spanning model and crop systems. She has played key leadership roles within ASPB, contributing to equity, governance, and scientific programming, and was recognized in 2024 as one of the “25 Inspiring Women in Plant Biology.” She has been a reviewer for Plant Physiology and The Plant Cell and a consistent contributor to ASPB scientific programming as an organizer, session chair, workshop leader, and invited speaker.
Beyond her research, Sona is an exceptional mentor. For over 12 years, she directed an NSF-funded undergraduate research program, providing hands-on training and fostering the development of future scientists. Sona’s combined impact in research, mentorship, and professional service exemplifies the qualities of an ASPB Fellow.
2026 Winner: Lucia Strader
Lucia Strader holds the Howard H. and Maryam R. Newman Chair in Plant Biology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Lucia’s ground-breaking work on auxin signaling, AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORs (ARFs), the formation of cytoplasmic ARF condensates, and identification of transcription factor transcriptional activation domains have earned broad recognition as a leader in plant hormone biology. At the same time, Lucia has contributed to our field as an outstanding mentor and as strong voice for the importance of fundamental research on plants for elucidating biological processes across eukaryotes. Lucia has served ASPB on the editorial board for The Plant Cell and as chair and organizer for symposia and meeting sessions on Plant Molecular Biology, Hormone Signaling, Biomolecular Condensates, and Arabidopsis Research.
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2026 Winner: Michael Vega-Sanchez
Miguel E. Vega-Sánchez works as a Senior Regulatory Policy Lead for Seeds & Traits at Bayer Crop Science. After his training at the Ohio State University, Miguel led a grass genetics group in the Department of Energy’s national laboratory system. He joined Monsanto (now Bayer Crop Science) in 2014, initially working on anti-fungal and anti-insecticidal bacteria. He eventually transitioned from bench science to policy. In his current role, he advocates for science-based regulatory pathways for biotech and genome-edited crops. As an ASPB member, Miguel has been a champion for advancing diversity and inclusion through the Minority Affairs Committee and the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (EDIC), which he led from 2020 to 2022. Currently, Miguel brings people together and advocates for plant science and improved federal policies currently through the Science Policy Committee.
Ruth Welti, Chair (2025-2028)
Grace Ju Miller (2023-2026)
Jim Leebens-Mack (2023-2026)
Jon Monroe (2023-2026)
Sylvia Lee, Staff Liaison