Miklos Faust Travel Award for Young Pomologists

The Miklos Faust International Travel Award for Young Pomologists is soliciting applications for financial assistance to attend the International Horticultural Congress in Brisbane, Australia on August 17-22, 2014. Established by the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) and the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), the Award provides financial assistance to scientists involved in fruit science research to attend the quadrennial International Horticultural Congress (IHC). The Award also endeavors to support travel and attendance at the Annual Conference of the ASHS occurring midway between ISHS Congresses.

Preference is given to young scientists (less than 40 years old) who have completed (or are actively pursuing) their doctoral degree. Preference is also given to scientists who will travel internationally following receipt of this Award. This year's award, in the amount of $3000 US, will be given to one individual.

The guidelines for applicants and an Application Form can be found online at the ASHS web pages by clicking here.

Applications will be received until March 31, 2014 and the winner will be notified by April15, 2014. Applications will be judged by a panel of three senior scientists selected from the Faust Award Board of Directors.

This Award honors Dr. Miklos Faust's significant contributions to the science and practice of fruit crops horticulture and to foster scientific exchange and collaboration within the world community of fruit crops researchers. Miklos Faust received a PhD degree in Pomology from Cornell University. He devoted his professional career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service to studies on fruit tree physiology that resulted in significant and lasting contributions to modern fruit science. A native Hungarian and a distinguished scholar, Miklos was keenly aware of the importance of international science exchange and cooperation for the advancement of modern fruit production, protection and genetic improvement.

After Toronto (Canada), Seoul (S-Korea), and Lisbon (Portugal) this will be the fourth time young pomologists supported by the Miklos Faust International Travel Award will be attending the IHC.

Dariusz Swietlik, PhD
Chairman of the Board, The Miklos Faust International Travel Award for Young Pomologists

Miklos Faust, 70, a horticulturist who specialized in fruit research at the Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Center in Beltsville for 30 years, died of a heart attack June 6 1998 at his home in Adelphi, MD (USA).

From 1972 to 1992, Dr. Faust was research leader of the fruit laboratory in Beltsville, and he was instrumental in determining the nutritional requirements of fruit trees.

During his career, he ascertained the biochemistry of red color development in apples, the role of calcium in fruit quality, the dwarfing mechanism of fruit trees and the mechanisms of flower bud development.

He wrote more than 200 scientific articles and a book, "The Physiology of Temperate Zone Fruit Trees," which is used as a plant physiology textbook at colleges and universities around the world. As an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland, he taught plant physiology and horticulture. He sponsored postdoctoral fellows and directed research of doctoral students. He was born in Nagbereny, Hungary, and graduated from the College of Horticulture and Viticulture of Budapest. He later came to the United States and received a master's degree in horticulture from Rutgers University in 1960 and a doctorate in horticulture from Cornell University in 1962. He worked for United Fruit Co. in New York, then in 1966 came to the Washington area and joined the Department of Agriculture's research center in Beltsville. He retired in 1996. During his career, Dr. Faust participated in cooperative research with scientists from Hungary, Poland, China, India, Pakistan, Italy, Germany, Israel and the United Kingdom. He lectured widely in China. Twice he received the American Society for Horticulture's Gourley award for excellence in fruit research. He was a fellow of the American Society for Horticulture Science, and he received an honorary doctorate in 1992 from the Horticulture and Food Science University of Budapest. He became a U.S. citizen in 1966. Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Dr. Marie Faust of Adelphi; a daughter, Judit Quasney of Silver Spring; a sister; and two grandsons.