2023 Krishna Ella Global Innovation Award Recipients

CALS Global is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Krishna Ella Global Innovation Award

Valentin Picasso, Associate Professor in the Department of Agronomy received funding for his project titled “Perennial Interdisciplinary Center for Agriculture Sustainability in South America -PICASSA”. The objective of this project is to develop a “5-i” center for perennial agricultural sustainability in South America, which will a) train students through an intensive course, b) coordinate interdisciplinary research and write grant proposals on perennial grains, c) communicate to society the relevance of perennial crops for agricultural sustainability. 

Alfonso Del Rio, Senior Scientist in the Department of Horticulture and the US Potato Genebank Research program received funding for his project titled “Developing new graduate programs in plant sciences at the Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodriguez de Mendoza (UNTRM), Amazonas, Peru with UW-CALS as international partner”. The objective of this project is to assist our international collaborators at the UNTRM in the development of a comprehensive, multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary grant proposal to create graduate programs for Master of Science and Doctorate in plant genetics, plant conservation and sustainable agriculture. With CALS as the international partner this creates opportunities for CALS faculty, staff, and students. 

Alfonso del Rio in the field in Peru.
Award recipient, Alfonso Del Rio, conducting research in the field in Peru.

The Krishna Ella Global Innovation Award offers an annual funding opportunity to catalyze “5i” projects led by CALS faculty and staff. 5i partnerships and projects are ones that are international, interdisciplinary, inclusive, innovative, and integrated (includes at least two of research, education, and outreach). Proposed activities should ideally lead to the development or advancement of a funded or self-sustaining project. 

This award offers up to $10,000 for CALS faculty and staff to be used for activities such as: 

  1. Research/outreach/education project development or implementation in or with collaborators in another country. 
  2. Travel to an international partner institution to collaborate on project development or a grant proposal. 
  3. Hosting an international partner at UW/CALS to develop a project or proposal. 

This year the award was matched with a contribution from CALS, enabling two awards instead of one. 

The next call for submissions will be announced in December 2023.  For more information, email global@cals.wisc.edu