Dr. P. Jeff Maughan

Professor, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, USA.

Dr. Maughan is a Professor of Molecular Genetics at Brigham Young University (BYU). He received his Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Prior to coming to BYU, Dr. Maughan was the Director of the North American Genotyping for the Monsanto Company, a worldwide leader in agricultural biotechnology. He has an established research program with funding from numerous sources, including NSF, USDA, World Bank, and the McKnight Foundation. He has published over 70 refereed research articles and book chapters and serves as an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) missions expert for food, agriculture and biotechnology and as an associate editor for the Botanical Society of America’s Applications in Plant Sciences. He was awarded the Thomas L. Martin Professorship and the John A. Widtsoe University Fellowship in recognition of his research that enhances the quality of life and contributes to the solution of pressing world problems. His research is primarily focused on the development of genomic tools for accelerated breeding of orphaned crops (quinoa, amaranth, etc.). These plant species are important for regional food security in several areas of modern Latin America and have recently received substantial attention as alternative food crops, especially in light of their nutritional value and tolerance to drought and salinity stress. Dr. Maughan is also recognized as an accomplished teacher, having taught 90 courses (around 6,500 students) and awarded College of Life Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award.