SEPTEMBER 2017 SEEDWORLD.COM / 45 This year’s Campus Connections stu- dents included: •  Colby Barton, a senior at Fort Hays State University majoring in botany. •  Nora Farris, a senior at the University of Missouri majoring in science and agricultural journalism. •  Madison Lynn, a senior at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College study- ing soil and crop science. •  Keeley Overmyer, a senior at Ohio State University studying agronomy. • William Singer, a senior at the University of Tennessee, Martin, studying business administration and agricultural production. • Alec Weber, a senior at South Dakota State University majoring in agron- omy with a secondary emphasis on agricultural business and precision ag. Meanwhile, the American Seed Research Foundation hosted Operation Student Connection, a group of graduate students majoring in seed biology or seed science and technology who presented their research and are exposed to the broad array of issues that impact the seed industry. Students included Narinder Singh of Kansas State University, Vivian Bernau of Ohio State University, Jorge Venegas of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Brian Pfeiffer of Texas A&M University, Mei Zhao of the University of Georgia and Qiang (Richard) Chen of Rutgers University. “This conference was a great oppor- tunity for me to see the non-science side of the seed industry,” says Singh. “It was great to attend some of the talks in intel- lectual property rights and legal issues that ultimately drive the science side of the industry. It was simply awesome.” Students participating in both programs had the opportunity to network with some of the industry’s best leaders, which were also recognized for their contributions to the association and the industry. Leaders Set Sail ASTA 2016-17 Chairman Mark Herrmann recognized Stephen Smith of DuPont Pioneer with the Lifetime Honorary Member Award, one of the association’s most prestigious awards. Smith, who is retiring from DuPont Pioneer, was recognized for his untiring service to the association, as well as the seed industry. Smith served on intellectual property committees of ASTA and the Biotechnology Industry Organization, also known as BIO. He chairs the International Seed Federation’s Intellectual Property Committee, and he is a Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America. Additionally, Smith received ASTA’s Distinguished Service Award in 2005. “Dr. Stephen Smith is widely known, well-respected and deeply committed to the seed industry,” said Herrmann during the award presentation. “An unfailing volunteer, a tireless worker and an unre- lenting defender and advocate of intel- lectual property rights, he has traveled the country attending meetings, giving speeches, organizing symposia and other activities related to intellectual property for the seed industry.” At DuPont Pioneer, Smith secured the company’s intellectual property rights and demonstrated the important role of plant genetic resources in plant breeding. He led a grass-roots campaign that resulted in one of the first contri- butions by the private seed sector of $1 million to the Global Crop Diversity Trust. Furthermore, he, along with other members of the seed industry and ASTA staff, finally helped persuade the U.S. Senate to ratify the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Most recently, Smith has been serving as a visiting scientist and lecturer “The conference was a great opportunity for me to see the non-science side of the seed industry ... It was simply awesome.” — Narinder Singh In his closing remarks, ASTA chair Mark Herrmann prepares to step down from the captain’s chair, handing the ship over to Tracy Tally of Justin Seed Co.