Elizabeth J. Mitcham, PhD, has been named the 2022 recipient of the American Horticultural Society’s (AHS) H. Marc Cathey Award.

ALEXANDRIA, VA, UNITED STATES, March 16, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Elizabeth J. Mitcham, PhD, has been named the 2022 recipient of the American Horticultural Society’s (AHS) H. Marc Cathey Award, which is given to an individual for outstanding scientific research that has enriched the field of horticulture.

The accolade is one of the Great American Gardeners Awards that the AHS presents annually to individuals, organizations, and businesses that represent the best in American gardening. “AHS is delighted to bestow Dr. Mitcham with the H. Marc Cathey Award for her important contributions to international horticultural research,” said Marcia Zech, AHS Board Chair.

Dr. Mitcham is a Cooperative Extension Specialist and pomologist in the Department of Plant Sciences of the University of California–Davis (UC Davis), where she has been on faculty since 1992. She has also been director of the Horticulture Innovation Lab, a USAID-funded program based at UC Davis, since 2011.

Dr. Mitcham’s research and Extension programs in postharvest handling of a wide array of fruit and nut crops address international issues such as food availability and safety, and offer strategies to address poverty and hunger in the world’s poorest countries. “Championing fruits and vegetables is core to Dr. Mitcham’s professional and personal pursuits. She has tirelessly advocated for the nutritious value of these crops and their power to fuel low-income populations with increased incomes,” says Erin McGuire, associate director of the Horticulture Innovation Lab, noting that Mitcham’s work has led to more programs helping “women, youth, and other marginalized communities.”

Dr. Mitcham’s research has also focused on reducing food loss and waste. “Dr. Mitcham understands the impact on global hunger that reducing these losses could have—especially as we struggle with limited arable land and climate change impacts,” says McGuire

Dr. Mitcham is active in professional organizations such as the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) and the International Society for Horticultural Science. She has served on numerous ASHS committees and is the recipient of the ASHS’s Outstanding International Scientist Career Award and its Outstanding International Horticulturist Award, among many other honors.

For more information on this year’s recipients, please visit our 2022 Award Winners. Photographs of the award winners and additional information about the awards program are available upon request by contacting Katherine Somerville at ksomerville@ahsgardening.org or calling (703) 768-5700, ext. 121.

Founded in 1922, the American Horticultural Society is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization committed to modeling, educating about, and advocating for earth-friendly and sustainable gardening practices. Our mission is to share with all Americans the critical role of plants, gardens, and green spaces in creating healthy, livable communities and a sustainable planet. Since 1973, we have been headquartered at River Farm, part of George Washington’s original land holdings on a 25-acre site composed of gardens, meadows, and woodlands along the Potomac River in the Mount Vernon section of Fairfax County. To learn more, visit https://ahsgardening.org.

Katherine Somerville
American Horticultural Society
+1 703-768-5700 ext. 121
email us here

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