Whipker Wins National Alex Laurie Award

Dr. Brian WhipkerNC State University’s Dr. Brian E. Whipker, an internationally acclaimed expert in the fields of plant growth regulators and plant nutrition, is the 2016 recipient of the Society of American Florists’ Alex Laurie Award. The honor was presented September 24, 2016 at the society’s annual convention in Hawaii. 

Established in 1948, the award honors research and academic contributions. It is named for an eminent professor at The Ohio State University who helped revolutionize the floriculture industry.

Whipker, a professor of floriculture in the Department of Horticultural Science, has a long history of researching and understanding plant responses to the environment including diagnosing and solving plant disorders. He has worked on specific plant disorders, developed nutritional diagnostic tools across species, and applied his research to create grower guides that help identify many different deficiency symptoms. These guides are designed to help greenhouse workers more rapidly identify plant problems.