Awards

• Finalist for the Piper Chancellor Award (2002)
• Technology in Teaching  Award (2001)
• Teaching Excellence Award (2000)
• Finalist for the Piper Chancellor Award. (1999)
  

Current Research

• Ecological aspects of Rhizobium isolated from soils of the Rio Grande Valley
• Establishing a germplams collection of regionall rhizobial strains
• Methods for the decontamination of bacterial pathogens of cantaloupe and cabbage
• Improving control of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from locally-grown produce

Education

Sabbatical Year. 1992. Texas A&M University, Texas, USA.
Post-doctoral Experience. 1982-4. Texas A&M University, Texas, USA.

Ph.D. 1982. Microbiology. Mississippi State University, USA.
M.S. 1977. Microbiology. New South Wales University, AUSTRALIA.
B.S. 1971. Agronomy.  Universidad Nacional, COLOMBIA.

Skills

a. Languages

Spanish (native)
English (fluent)
French (semi-fluent)
Arabic (basic)

b. Computer literacy

Good skills with desktop applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, database, graphical & statistical packages. SAS programming.
Web page design and HTML programming.

Professional Experience

• 09/03 - Present. Associate Professor, The University of Texas - Pan American, Edinburg, Texas.  I often teach: General Microbiology, Medical Microbiology & immunology, Molecular Virology, Special Problems, and Biology Seminar. I do research in nitrogen fixation and food microbiology.
  
• 09/96  Assistant Professor, The University of Texas - Pan American, Edinburg, Texas.  Taught biology, microbiology, medical microbiology and immunology, virology, special problems, integrated science concepts, and science in society. Research in nitrogen fixation and food microbiology.Established a research laboratory of microbiology.

• 10/95 - 11/95 Consultant, NifTAL Center. University of Hawaii, Paia.  Organized and taught an international training course on Legume-Rhizobia Technology and Inoculant Production.

• 8/84 - 9/95 Senior Microbiologist, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syria. Research and training on ecological aspects of plant-Rhizobium associations, inoculant production and biological nitrogen-fixation. Biodiversity. Manager of Laboratory of Microbiology (support staff, postgraduate students, visiting scientists and sabbatical fellows). Supervision of graduate students with European universities. International activities on research, training, networking, and fund-raising for research and training projects. Collection and characterization of rhizobial germplasm from the Mediterranean basin.

• 8/82 - 8/84 Post-doctoral Associate, Texas A&M University, Dept. of Soils and Crops. College Station, Texas

• Research on rhizobial ecology for temperate and tropical crops, ¹⁵N techniques to measure nitrogen fixation, inoculant technology and degradation of pesticides in soil. Environmental microbiology.

• 2/78 - 9/82 Research Associate, Mississippi State University, Department of Agronomy, Starkville, Mississippi. Research on the selection and ecology of strains of Rhizobium for temperate and tropical crops.

• 7/74 - 1/78 Research Assistant, University of Sydney, Department of Microbiology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Research on nitrogen fixation in soybeans. Rhizobial ecology and legume host specificity.
  
• 1/72 - 5/74 Assistant Professor, Universidad Nacional, Faculty of Agronomy, Palmira, Colombia. Lecturer in ecology, plant taxonomy and agrostology.

• Received four Faculty Research Council Grants for a total of $8,500 (1999-2005).
  
• Received $63,000 from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for research in food microbiology. (1999).
  
• Received $30,000 from UTPA as starting funds for research (1998).
  
• Previous position at ICARDA (1982-1995) involved managing an annual budget of approximately $100,000.  Funding sources were USDA, UNDP, IAEA, ORSTOM, FAO, and many other international consortia.

• Ph.D. L. A. Materon. Competition, persistence and seasonal nitrogen fixation by introduced Rhizobium trifolii strains on crimson and red clover.  Directed by Drs. C. Hagedorn and W.E. Knight. Published in:  Dissertation Abstracts International B, 43(07):207B. 1983.

• M.S. L. A. Materon. Host specificity and inter-strain competition with soybean rhizobia.  Directed by Emer. Prof. James M. Vincent. Published in:  Field Crops Research 3:215-224. 1980.

Refereed Journal Articles

Materon, L.A. and T. Eubanks. 2008. Isolation and characterization of nitrogen-fixing bacteria nodulating Phaseolus vulgaris in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Texas J. Scie. 60:97-112.

Cosansu, S., H. Kuleasan, K. Ayhan, and L.A. Materon. 2007. Antimicrobial activity and protein profiles of Pedioicoccus spp. isolated from Turkish sucuk. J. Food Proc. & Preservation 31:190-200.

Zibilske, L.M., and L.A. Materon. 2005. Biochemical properties of decomposing cotton and corn stem and root residues. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 69:378-386.

Materon, L.A. 2003. Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 applied to cantaloupes and the effectiveness of chlorinated water and lactic acid as disinfectants. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 19:867-873.

• Materon, L.A. and L. Zibilske. 2003. Remedial inoculation of Rhizobium meliloti strains and nodule occupancy on Medicago rigidula (L.) All. and M. truncatula Gaerth. Applied Soil Ecology 23:155-163.
  
• Materon, L.A. and L. Zibilske. 2001. Delayed inoculation and competition of nitrogen-fixing strains in Medicago noeana (Boiss.) and M. polymorpha (L.). Applied Soil Ecology 17:175-181.

 
• Rome, S., J.C. Cleyet-Marel, L.A. Materon, P. Normand and B. Brunei. 1997. Rapid identification of Medicago nodulating strains by using two oligonucleotide probes complementary to 16S rRNA sequences. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 43:854-861.

• Materon, L.A. and J. Ryan. 1996. The effect of rhizobial inoculation and mineral nutrition on common Mediterranean pasture and forage legumes and phosphorus. Agricoltura Mediterranea 32:112-120

• Ryan, J., L.A. Materon and S. Christiansen. 1995. The network concept in technology transfer in the dryland west Asia-north Africa region. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences 24:155-160

• Elabbadi, K., M. Ismaili and L.A. Materon. 1995. Competition between Medicago truncatula L. and wheat for ¹⁵N soil labelled nitrogen and influence of phosphorus. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 28:83-88

• Keatinge, J.D.H., L.A. Materon, D.P. Beck, N. Yurtsever, K. Karuc and S. Altintas. 1995. The role of rhizobial biodiversity in legume crop productivity in the west Asian highlands: I. Rationale, methods and overview. Journal of Experimental Agriculture 31:473-483.

• Materon, L.A., J.D.H. Keatinge, D.P. Beck, N. Yurtsever, K. Karuc and S. Altintas. 1995. The role of rhizobial biodiversity in legume crop productivity in the west Asian highlands: II. Rhizobium leguminosarum. Journal of Exp. Agriculture 31:485-491

• Materon, L.A., J.D.H. Keatinge, D.P. Beck, N. Yurtsever, K. Karuc and S. Altintas. 1995. The role of rhizobial biodiversity in legume crop productivity in the west Asian highlands: III. Rhizobium meliloti. Journal of Experimental Agriculture 31:493-499

• Keatinge, J.D.H., L.A. Materon, D.P. Beck, N. Yurtsever, K. Karuc and S. Altintas. 1995. The role of rhizobial biodiversity in legume crop productivity in the west Asian highlands: IV. Rhizobium cicer. Journal of Experimental Agriculture 31:501-508

• Materon, L.A. and J. Ryan. 1995. Rhizobial inoculation, and phosphorus and zinc nutrition for annual medics (Medicago spp.) adapted to Mediterranean environments. Agronomy Journal 87:692-698

• Materon, L.A. 1994. Delayed inoculation and competition of Rhizobium meliloti in annual Medicago species. Applied Soil Ecology 1:255-260

• Materon, L.A. 1991. Symbiotic characteristics of Rhizobium meliloti in west Asian soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 23:429-434

• Materon, L.A. and S.K.A. Danso. 1991. Nitrogen fixation in two annual Medicago legumes, as affected by inoculation and seed density. Field Crops Res. 26:253-262

• Eardly, B., L.A. Materon, N.H. Smith, D.A, Johnson, M.D. Rumbaugh and R.K. Selander. 1990. Genetic structure of natural populations of the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Rhizobium meliloti. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 56:187-194

• Brockwell, J.D., D. Daoud and L.A. Materon. 1988. Symbiotic characteristics Rhizobium-specific annual medic, Medicago rigidula (L.). Soil Biology and Biochemistry 20:593-600

• Materon, L.A., R.W. Weaver and F.W. Plapp. 1987. Qualitative evaluation of the effect of a soil detoxicant on aldicarb persistence. Environmental Contamination & Toxicology 38:104-108

• Weaver, R.W., L.A. Materon and M.E. Krautmann. 1985. Survival of Rhizobium trifolii in soil following inoculation of arrowleaf clover. MIRCEN Journal of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 1:311-318

• Materon, L.A. and R.W. Weaver. 1984. Inoculant maturity influences survival of rhizobia on seed. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 49:465-467

• Materon, L.A. and R.W. Weaver. 1984. Survival of Rhizobium trifolii on toxic and non-toxic arrowleaf clover seeds. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 16:533-535

• Materon, L.A. and R.W. Weaver. 1984. Toxicity of arrowleaf clover seed to Rhizobium trifolii. Agronomy Journal 76:471-473

• Materon, L.A. and C. Hagedorn. 1984. Response of crimson clover to inoculation with genetically-marked strains of Rhizobium trifolii. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 15:33-47

• Hagedorn, C., A.H. Ardahl and L.A. Materon. 1983. Characteristics of Rhizobium trifolii populations associated with subclover in Mississippi soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal 47:1148-1152

• Materon, L.A. and C. Hagedorn. 1983. Competitiveness and symbiotic effectiveness of five strains of Rhizobium trifolii on red clover. Soil Science Society of America Journal 47:491-495

• Materon, L.A., and C. Hagedorn. 1981. Nodulation of crimson clover by introduced rhizobia in Mississippi soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal 46:553-556

• Materon, L.A. and C. Hagedorn. 1981. Competitiveness of Rhizobium trifolii strains associated with red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) in Mississippi soils. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 44:1096-1101

• Materon, L.A. and J.M. Vincent. 1980. Host specificity and inter-strain competition with soybean rhizobia. Field Crops Research 3:215-224.

Conference Proceedings

• Materon, L.A. 2002. Pre-exposure of seedlings of annual Medicago species to primary and secondary inoculation and their effect on nodulation. In: Proceedings of the XXI Reunion Latinoamericana de Rhizobiología. Cocoyoc, Morelos, Mexico. p. 99.
  
  
• Materon, L.A. 2002. Pre-exposure of seedlings of annual Medicago species to primary and secondary inoculation and their effect on nodulation. In: Proceedings of the VI Congreso Nacional de la Fijación Biológica de Nitrógeno. Cocoyoc, Morelos, Mexico. p. 99.
  
  
• Materon, L.A. 2002. Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 applied to cantaloupes and the effectiveness of chlorinated water and lactic acid as disinfectants. In: Molecular Biology Conference, Lost Pines, Smithville, Texas. p. 237.
  
  
• Materon, L.A. 2000. Delayed inoculation and competition of nitrogen-fixing strains in Medicago noeana and M. polymorpha. In: Molecular Biology Conference. Lost Pines, Smithville, Texas, p. 235.

• Materon, L.A. and M. Zaklouta. 1995. Annual medics have specific symbiotic requirements. p. 709. In: Nitrogen Fixation: Fundamentals and Applications. (I. Tikhonovich, N. Provorov, V.I. Romanov and W.W. Newton). Klewer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

• Materon, L.A. and M. Zaklouta. 1994. Symbiotic relationships and nitrogen fixation in annual Medicago species. pp. 65-80. In: Recent Developments in Biological Nitrogen Fixation Research in Africa. Proceedings of the 5th AABNF Conference (1992), Rabat, Morocco.

• Materon, L.A. 1993. Constraints to nodulation of annual medics by natural populations of Rhizobium meliloti. pp. 192-202. In: The Ley Farming System for the Mediterranean Basin (S. Christiansen, L.A. Materon, M. Falcinelli and P.S. Cocks, eds.). ICARDA, Aleppo, Syria.

• Eardly, B., L.A., Materon and R. Selander. 1993. The chromosomal genetic structure of Rhizobium meliloti populations in southwest Asia. pp. 244-251. In: The Ley Farming System for the Mediterranean Basin (S. Christiansen, L.A. Materon, M. Falcinelli and P.S. Cocks, eds.). ICARDA, Aleppo, Syria.

• Materon, L.A., 1988. Maximizing nitrogen fixation by forage and pasture legumes in semi-arid areas. pp. 33-40. In: Nitrogen Fixation by Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (Beck and L.A. Materon, eds.). Martinus Nijhoff Publisher, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

• Beck, D.P. and L.A. Materon. 1988. A program for optimizing the response to inoculants. pp 26-33. In: The Role of Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Rural Africa. Proceedings 2nd AABNF Conference (1986), Cairo, Egypt. MIRCEN-Ain Shams University Press, Cairo, Egypt.

Presentation Abstracts

• Materon, L.A. 2002. Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 applied to cantaloupes and the effectiveness of chlorinated water and lactic acid as disinfectants. In: Molecular Biology Conference, Lost Pines, Smithville, Texas. p. 237.
  
  
• Materon, L.A. 2000. Delayed inoculation and competition of nitrogen-fixing strains in Medicago noeana and M. polymorpha. In: Molecular Biology Conference. Lost Pines, Smithville, Texas, p. 235.
  
  
• Materon, L.A. and J. Ryan. 1995. Field significance of inoculation, phosphorus and zinc for common Mediterranean pasture and forage legumes. Agronomy Abstracts. American Society of Agronomy. St. Louis, Missouri.

• Materon, L.A. and J. Ryan. 1994. Nutritional and adaptation constraints to Mediterranean pasture Medicago species. Agronomy Abstracts. American Society of Agronomy. p. 71. Seattle, Washington.

• Materon, L.A. and M. Zaklouta. 1992. Symbiotic relationships and nitrogen fixation in annual Medicago species. 5th African Conference for Biological Nitrogen Fixation. Abstracts. p. 8. Rabat, Morocco.

• Lahrach, N., L.A. Materon and M. Ismaili. 1992. Effect of rotation on biological nitrogen fixation and on following wheat crop. 5th African Conference for Biological Nitrogen Fixation. Abstracts. p. 92. Rabat, Morocco.

• Materon, L.A. and M. Zaklouta. 1989. Persistence of antibiotic-resistant mutants of Rhizobium meliloti and their association with annual species of Medicago. 12th North American Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation Conference. p. 78. Ames, Iowa.

• Eardly, B., L.A. Materon, D.A. Johnson and R.K. Selander. 1989. Genetic structure of natural populations of Rhizobium meliloti. 12th North American Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation Conference. p. 44. Ames, Iowa.

• Materon, L.A., P.S. Cocks, D. Daoud and J. Brockwell. 1987. Medicago rigidula has specific requirements for effective rhizobia. 11th North American Rhizobium Conference. p. 61. Quebec, Canada.

• Materon, L.A. and R.W. Weaver. 1984. Inoculant maturity influences survival on seed. Agronomy Abstracts. American Society of Agronomy. p. 189. Las Vegas, Nevada.

• Materon, L.A. and R.W. Weaver. 1984. The influence of inoculation on legume establishment. Proceedings of the 40th Meeting of the Southern Pasture and Forage Crop Improvement Conference. pp. 40-41. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

• Materon, L.A. and R.W. Weaver. 1983. Toxicity of clover seed toward Rhizobium trifolii. Proceedings of the 9th North American Rhizobium Conference. Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell University. p. 6P. New York.

• Hagedorn, C. and L.A. Materon. 1983. Evaluation of amended Rhizobium trifolii strains in Mississippi soils. American Society of Microbiology. Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Meetings. p. 47. New Orleans, Louisiana.

• Hagedorn, C., W.E. Knight and L.A. Materon. 1982. Selection of Rhizobium strains for clovers in the southeast U.S. Proceedings of the Southern Branch of the American Society of Agronomy. Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists. New Orleans, Louisiana.

• Materon, L.A. and C. Hagedorn. 1981. Competition and persistence of Rhizobium trifolii on crimson and red clover. Agronomy Abstracts. American Society of Agronomy. p. 165. Atlanta, Georgia.

• Materon, L.A., C. Hagedorn and W.E. Knight. 1980. Evaluation of subclover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) in a forest environment. Agronomy Abstracts. American Society of Agronomy. p. 146. Detroit, Michigan.

• Hagedorn, C., A.H. Ardahl, L.A. Materon, and W.E. Knight. 1980. Nodulation of Trifolium subterraneum L. by introduced rhizobia in Mississippi soils. Agronomy Abstracts. American Society of Agronomy. p. 153. Detroit, Michigan.

Books Published

• Practical Rhizobium-Legume Technology Manual. 1993. D. Beck, F. Afandi and L.A. Materon. Tech.l Manual 19. ISBN 92-9127-001-6. ICARDA, Aleppo, Syria. 389 pp.

• Introducing Ley Farming System to the Mediterranean Basin. 1993. S. Christiansen, L.A. Materon, M. Falcinelli and P.S. Cocks (eds.). ICARDA, Aleppo, Syria. 299 pp.

• Nitrogen Fixation by Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture. 1988. D.P. Beck and L.A. Materon (eds). Martinus Nijhoff Publ., Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 379 pp.

• Materon, L.A. and P.S. Cocks. 1988. Constraints to biological nitrogen fixation in ley farming systems designed for West Asia. pp. 93-106 (Chapter 7). In: Microbiology in Action (W.G. Murrell and I.R. Kennedy, eds.). Research Studies Press, John Wiley and Sons, New York.

• Ryan, J., L.A. Materon, M. Zaklouta and S. Masri. 1997. Nutritional constraints for pasture legumes: Importance of zinc and phosphorus soil test values. pp. 197-203. In: Accomplishments and Future Challenges in Dryland Soil Fertility Research in the MediterraneaMediterranean Area (J. Ryan, ed.). International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the Institut Mondial du Phosphate (IMPHOS).

• Member of the Editorial Board of The World Journal of Microbiology and Biotecnology. A journal published by UNESCO with headquarters in Paris, France.
  Editorial Board Member since December 1992 until present.

• XX! Reunion Latinoamericana de Rhizobiología. Oct. 2003. Cocoyoc, Morelos, MEXICO.
  
• VI Congreso Nacional de la Fijación Biológica de Nitrógeno. Oct. 2003. Cocoyoc, Morelos, MEXICO.
  
• 10th International Congress of Nitrogen Fixation. May 1995. Saint Petersburg, RUSSIA.

• 5th African Conference for Biological Nitrogen Fixation. Sept. 1992. Rabat, MOROCCO.

• 8th International Congress of Nitrogen Fixation. May 1990. Knoxville, TN, USA.

• 12th North American Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation Conference. July 1989. Ames, IA, USA.

• 11th North American Rhizobium Conference. Aug. 1987. Quebec, CANADA.

• 10th North American Rhizobium Conference. Aug. 1985. Hawaii, USA.

• Forage and Grassland Conference. Jan. 1984. Houston, TX, USA.

• 7th North American Rhizobium Conference. Texas A&M Univ. Jun. 1979. College Station, TX, USA.

• 2nd New Zealand Conference on 'Rhizobium-Legume Symbiotic and other Nitrogen-fixing Systems'. Massey University. Nov. 1985. Palmerston North, NEW ZEALAND.

• 5th Australian Legume Nodulation Conference. CSIRO, Division of Tropical Agronomy, March 1975. Brisbane, Queensland, AUSTRALIA.

• Organized an international workshop on 'Ley farming systems for the Mediterranean basin' sponsored by ICARDA-IBPGR at the University of Perugia. June 1989. Perugia, ITALY.

• 1st International Agriculture and Biotechnology Symposium at Cukurova University. June 1988. Adana. TURKEY.

• FAO Mediterranean Network on Pastures and Fodder Crops. Oct. 1987. Montpellier, FRANCE.

• Co-organized a workshop on Legume Genetic Resources. June 1987. Cairo, EGYPT.

• 'Biological Nitrogen Fixation Technology for Tropical Agriculture'. A keynote paper: 'The development of legume-grass combinations for long-season forage production in the Gulf Coast States' by C. Hagedorn and L.A. Materon. March 1981. CIAT. Cali, COLOMBIA.

• 'Potentials of field beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and other food legumes in Latin America' held at CIAT, 1973, Cali, COLOMBIA.

• 'Factors Limiting Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Mediterranean Zones: the Influence of Temperature and Osmotic Constraints'. April 6-8, 1994. Montpellier, FRANCE.

• 'Microbiology in action' in Sydney and visited CSIRO (Canberra) and the Western Australia Department of Agriculture (Perth). July 1986. AUSTRALIA.

• On ICARDA-INRA Microbiological Research Programs. Feb. 1995. Montpellier, FRANCE.

• At UNESCO and ORSTOM for joint training activities on rhizobial biodiversity. Feb. 1995. Paris. FRANCE.

• American Society of Agronomy Meetings. Sept. 1991. Denver, CO, USA.

• Annual Meetings of the American Society of Microbiology. May 1992. New Orleans, LA, USA.

• Meeting on ICARDA-INRA research activities on microbiology. March 1989. Montpellier, FRANCE.

• Royal Society Meetings on the Centennial Celebrations of the Discovery of Biological Nitrogen Fixation by Legumes. Oct. 1986. London, ENGLAND.

• 3rd FAO/IAEA/IG Research Coordination Meeting on the Use on Nuclear Techniques in Improving Pasture Management. March 1986. Vienna, AUSTRIA.

• On links for BNF regional projects with FAO. Nov. 1985. Rome, ITALY.

• IBPGR Meeting on Forage for Mediterranean and Adjacent Semi-arid/arid type areas. Apr. 1985. Limassol, CYPRUS.

2nd FAO/IAEA/IG Research Coordination Meeting on the Use of Nuclear Techniques in Improving Pasture Management. Nov. 1984. Vienna, AUSTRIA.

• One-year sabbatical leave period (July 1991 to July 1992) to study topics of molecular biology and ecology of rhizobia at the University of Texas A&M, College Station, Texas.

• Supervised and conducted the course on 'Legume-Rhizobia Technology and Inoculant Production' at NifTAL, University of Hawaii. Oct./Nov. 1995. Maui, Hawaii, USA

• Participated in the collection of medic rhizobia by ICARDA-USAID in northern Pakistan. Apr. 1989. Quetta, PAKISTAN.

• On projects on microbiology at the National Center for Agricultural Research and Technology Transfer (NCARTT). Feb. 1989. Amman, JORDAN.

• On bilateral cooperation on ¹⁵N research at the FAO/IAEA. Sept. 1988, Vienna, AUSTRIA.

• Department of Microbiology of the University of Wageningen. Sept. 1988. Wageningen, HOLLAND.

• North African research institutions for cooperative projects on BNF. Feb. 1988. ALGERIA, TUNISIA, MOROCCO.

• NCARTT and University of Jordan for collaborative BNF projects. Apr. 1987. Amman, JORDAN.

• Member of the Technical Advisory Committee of NifTAL by USAID. Aug. 1987 until 1990.

• Italian universities to establish cooperative projects. March 1987. Perugia, Rome and Florence. ITALY.

• Agricultural Universities of Madrid and Granada to follow progress on collaborative projects. Sept. 1986. SPAIN.

• CIAT Microbiology Unit and travelled to the Carimagua off-station. Sept. 1986. Cali, COLOMBIA.

• Range Development Project and conducted a short course on BNF. March 1986. Kairouan, TUNISIA

• Created and managed the 'International Inoculation Network for Pasture and Forage Legumes' (INONET) from 1986 to 1995

• Meeting on BNF at Montpellier, Dijon, Tolouse and Paris. Visit to the Pasteur Institute. Dec. 1985. Paris, FRANCE.

• Meeting on biological nitrogen fixation in Madrid, Córdoba, Granada and Sevilla. Aug. 1985. SPAIN.

• American Society of Microbiology
• American Society of Agronomy
• Texas Society of Science
  

I have served as a member of several committees at UTPA/Biology as of September 1998

• Member of the University Senate
• Chair of the Search Committee (four tems)
• Chair of the Publicity Committee
• Member of the Dean Search Committee
• Member of the Graduate Faculty
• Member of the Library Committee
• Member of the Safety Committee
• Member of the Equipment Committee
• Member of the University Honors Committee
• Biology Department Webmaster

• Experiment with novel teaching techniques
• Philately -- I collect stamps since my early years
• Photography, genealogy, and music
• Road Bicycling