Ames, Iowa, May 29th, 2024 – Iowa State University (ISU) proudly announces the promotion of Dr. Maria Salas-Fernandez to the rank of Professor in the Department of Agronomy. Dr. Salas-Fernandez’s exceptional research and teaching contributions have led to this well-deserved recognition.

Background and Accomplishments:

• Dr. Maria Salas-Fernandez holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Cornell University.
• At ISU, Dr. Salas-Fernandez initiated and leads a sorghum field breeding program focused on developing germplasm for forage and biofuel production adapted to the Midwest.
• Her research program explores genomics and high-throughput phenotyping technology to identify genetic mechanisms controlling traits such as plant architecture, photosynthesis, photoprotection, and cold tolerance during germination.
• Dr. Salas-Fernandez is a member of the Raymond F. Baker Center for Plant Breeding at ISU and has been selected as a Plant Sciences Institute Scholar for Predictive Phenomics.

We congratulate Dr. Maria Salas-Fernandez on her promotion and look forward to her continued contributions to agricultural science and education at Iowa State University.

For more information, visit Dr. Salas-Fernandez’s profile on the Department of Agronomy website.