Kevin Folta

Kevin M. Folta
Speaking at CSICon 2016
Born
Alma materNorthern Illinois University, University of Illinois at Chicago
Known forLight control of plant traits, novel genomics approaches, science communication
AwardsNational Science Foundation CAREER Award (2008), Howard Hughes Medical Institute Distinguished Mentor Award (2007), Borlaug CAST Communication Award (2016)
Scientific career
FieldsMolecular biology, horticulture, agricultural science
InstitutionsUniversity of Florida
ThesisBlue light regulation of the pea Lhcb1*4 gene in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana (1998)
Doctoral advisorLon S. Kaufman
Other academic advisorsEdgar Spalding
Websitewww.kevinfolta.com

Kevin M. Folta is a professor of the horticultural sciences department at the University of Florida. From 2007 to 2010 he helped lead the project to sequence the strawberry genome, and continues to research photomorphogenesis in plants and compounds responsible for flavor in strawberries. Folta has been active as a science communicator since 2002, especially relating to biotechnology. He has faced controversy over what his critics say are his industry connections.[2][3] In 2017 he was elected as a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.[4]

  1. ^ "NIU alum has a taste for success". NIU Today. Northern Illinois University. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
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