Henry P. Wilson honored with emeritus status
Henry P. Wilson, professor of weed science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of “professor emeritus” by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1985, Wilson was the principal or co-principal investigator on more than 130 competitive and non-competitive grants researching new herbicides and herbicide-resistant weeds. He wrote or co-wrote more than 400 peer reviewed journal articles, extension publications, and abstracts.
Wilson served as director of the Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Painter, Va., for more than 13 years. From 1967-85, he was a plant physiologist at the Virginia Truck and Ornamentals Research Station, which became the Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center.
He was an officer in 16 academic or professional associations. He received more than 20 professional honors and awards, including the Henderson Award from the Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science for outstanding performance as a faculty member and, most recently, the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Association of Virginia Potato and Vegetable Growers, for dedicated service, support and advocacy for the Eastern Shore Agricultural Community.
A dedicated teacher, Wilson was the advisor to five Master of Science degree and 13 Ph.D. students. He mentored two postdoctoral faculty associates, and co-advised numerous students within the department.
Wilson received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of Delaware and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
