Shibu Jose, H.E. Garrett Endowed Professor and Director of The Center for Agroforestry in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri, recently received the Scientific Achievement Award from the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) and the Barrington Moore Memorial Award from the Society of American Foresters (SAF).

“I’m truly honored and humbled by an international and national professional recognition during the same week. This has been an incredible moment in my professional life which is going to last for a lifetime,” Jose said.

IUFRO unites more than 15,000 scientists in almost 700 member organizations in more than 110 countries. The Scientific Achievement Award recognizes forestry scientists for their exceptional contributions to advancing the science of forestry with national and international impacts. Similarly, the Barrington Moore Memorial Award by SAF recognizes outstanding achievement in biological research leading to the advancement of forestry regionally or nationally.

Jose has dedicated his work toward identifying and quantifying key ecological processes and interactions that define ecological sustainability. He then uses his gathered information to design agroforestry systems, and restore degraded and damaged ecosystems. His research has taken him all over the world; over the past 20 years he has conducted studies in the U.S., Australia, Costa Rica, Belize, Bangladesh and India.

“Whatever I have accomplished in my career has been the result of team work and collaboration. I owe a great deal of gratitude to a large number of individuals who helped mold my professional life. My mentors, professors, supervisors, colleagues, students, postdocs and visiting scholars deserve much of the credit. This is a recognition for their wisdom, dedication and hard work,” Jose said.