International award for scientist developing climate-resilient crops
For global leadership in plant physiology research, University of Melbourne Professor Prem Bhalla has been recognised as an International Fellow by the Indian Society for Plant Physiology (ISPP).
Professor Bhalla received the prestigious award at the International Conference on Food and Nutritional Security in January 2023.
Dr Jitender Singh, the Indian Federal Minister of Science and Technology, presented the Fellowship award during the opening session of the conference in Punjab, India.
“I am honoured by this award, which recognises the critical value of international collaboration in plant research to increase the security of global food supplies under the threat of climate change,” Professor Bhalla said.
Head of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Professor Bhalla leads Australian and international research projects, as well as teaching in the school.
Her current research focus is on developing climate-resilient crop plants that can sustain normal reproduction and seed set under drought and heat stress conditions.
She has published extensively in major scientific journals across the fields of plant reproduction and development, horticulture biotechnology, genetic engineering of crop plants, and pollen allergy, and was awarded the Royal Society of Victoria’s Medal for Excellence in Scientific Research in 2000.
At the same conference ceremony, the ISPP also conferred International Fellowships on three other eminent plant scientists: Professor Blake Meyers from the University of Missouri, Professor Yunde Zhao from the University of California, San Diego, and Professor Christine Foyer from the University of Birmingham.