P.M. Huang Award

Dr. Pan Ming Huang was a Professor and Professor Emeritus, Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan. He passed away on 13 September 2009 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He joined the University of Saskatchewan in 1965, starting what was to be a distinguished career spanning 44 years. His research interests were broad and he was a prolific writer, publishing nearly 300 journal articles, book chapters and books. His contributions to soil and environmental science were recognized nationally and internationally, and he received both the University of Saskatchewan Distinguished Researcher Award (1997) and the Soil Science Research Award of the SSSA (2000). He was a Fellow in the Canadian Society of Soil Science, Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the World Innovation Foundation. Dr. Huang was an eminent scholar, a great educator, a man of vision and extraordinary leadership. For his scientific output,  Dr.  Huang enters into the history of Soil Science as one of the best scientists of Soil Science of the last Century.

Particularly important are his contributions to facilitate the scientific progress in Soil and Environmental Sciences promoting the collaboration among soil chemists, soil biochemists, soil mineralogists, soil microbiologists and environmental scientists. To facilitate this collaboration he was the founding Chair of both the Working Group “Interactions of Soil Minerals with Organic Components and Microorganisms” (ISMOM) and Commission 2.5 Soil Physical/Chemical/Biological Interfacial Reactions of the International Union of Soil Sciences.

He was instrumental in promoting worldwide research leading to integration of knowledge on mineral colloids, organic matter, and microorganisms, and its impact on agricultural production, environmental sustainability, and ecosystem health. The research work of Dr. P.M. Huang  has significantly advanced the frontiers of knowledge on the formation, chemistry and the nature and surface reactivity of mineral colloids, organic matter, and organo-mineral complexes of soils and sediments and their role in the dynamics, transformations, and fate of nutrients, toxic metals, and xenobiotics in terrestrial and aquatic environments.

Nomination - Who is eligible?

Individuals or scientists from any university, government, scientific association or industry are welcome to nominate a deserving individual as a candidate for receiving the P.M. Huang Award.

The P.M. Huang Award will be presented, for the first time, during ”Soil Interfaces for Sustainable Development”, a joint meeting of the 7th ISMOM-CSSS-AQSSS to be held in Montreal, Canada in July 2015. The successful candidate will be elected in recognition to his/her scientific research, or a publication that is deemed to have made significant contributions to advancing the understanding of the interactions between soil minerals, soil organic matter, and soil organisms. The publication may be a book, a book chapter, a review article, or a peer reviewed research article published in a scientific journal. The publication must have been printed (on the web or in print) for at least 4 years, so as to permit sufficient time for the Award Committee to evaluate its impact. Preference will be given to young or mid-career candidates, and to candidates who have been active in ISMOM, the International Symposium on Interactions of Soil Minerals with Organic Components and Microorganisms.

Details on the scope and activities of ISMOM are provided at

 http://ismom2015.conference.mcgill.ca/index0f50.html

Deadline for submission of nominations

Submissions will be accepted until June 5th, 2015. Please send applications to: Carlos M. Monreal (carlos.monreal@agr.gc.ca)

What information needs to be provided in the nomination?

The candidate’s name, position and contact information.

A copy of the candidate’s Curriculum Vitae.

List of the five most important publications authored by the nominee that in the nominator’s opinion had a significant impact in the focus areas of ISMOM.

An explanation what the candidate has accomplished and of how this has contributed to the scientific endeavours of ISMOM (Maximum of one page, 12-point is good).

Name, position and contact information for nominator.

What will happen to the nomination?

An Awards Committee of scientific experts will establish the reach and impact of contributions made by all candidates. The Awards Committee will report to the ISMOM conference organization Committee Chair the name of the successful candidate that is to receive the P.M. Huang Award, and list those that applied but were not successful.