Dr. Ejeta Named Distinguished Professor

Gebisa Ejeta (left) was named the Distinguished Professor of Agronomy in the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University by the board of trustees 6 July.

Ejeta has been a professor at Purdue, his alma mater, since 1984. His research group focuses on the genetic analysis and breeding of sorghum for resistance to the major biotic and abiotic stresses including drought, plant diseases and the parasitic weed called striga. The research also includes the nutritional quality of sorghum, its potential for use for alternative energy, as well as management and exploitation of genetic resources and influence of gene flow in crop species.

Ejeta earned a bachelor's degree in plant sciences from Alemaya College in Ethiopia in 1973 and master's and doctoral degrees in plant breeding and genetics from Purdue in 1976 and 1978.