Colleagues,
It is with sadness that I inform you of the passing of Dr. Perry L. Adkisson this morning on Thursday, June 25. Dr. Adkisson first joined The Texas A&M University System as an associate professor in the Department of Entomology. As he progressed in his career, he served as Department Head, Deputy Chancellor for Agriculture for The Texas A&M University System and later Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. He was also named Regents Professor of Entomology and Executive Director of the Bush Presidential Library Center and Chancellor Emeritus and Distinguished Professor Emeritus.
Dr. Adkisson was an early pioneer in developing the concepts for integrated pest management through his research on control of the insect pests of cotton. He led the development of highly successful integrated control programs for the boll weevil, bollworm and other key pests of cotton and saw these programs implemented on millions of acres of Texas cotton. He was instrumental in the development and implementation of similar programs for other major Texas crops. This work ultimately allowed for a 50 percent reduction of insecticide use in United States agriculture. He became a global leader for the adoption of integrated pest management, an approach to pest control practiced around the world today.
Dr. Adkisson received the three most prestigious international awards in agriculture, the Alexander Von Humboldt Award, the Wolf Prize in Agriculture and the World Food Prize. He was listed among the 25 agricultural scientists having the greatest impact on agriculture in the United States during the 20th century. He was also Texas A&M’s third faculty member to be elected into the National Academy of Sciences.
We will share more details with you as they become available. For now, please keep the Adkisson family in your thoughts. He will be greatly missed.
Thank you,
Patrick J. Stover, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor, Texas A&M AgriLife
Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research