
ARS Hall of Fame Adds Three
ScientistsBy Kathryn Barry
Stelljes September 13, 2000
BELTSVILLE, Md., Sept. 13--Nutritious dairy foods, irrigation
scheduling techniques and prevention and treatment of intestinal diseases have
earned their developers a place in the Agricultural Research Service Science
Hall of Fame. ARS is the chief research agency of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Chemist Virginia H. Holsinger, agricultural engineer Marvin E. Jensen and
veterinary pathologist Harley W. Moon will be presented with plaques citing
their diverse achievements. An induction dinner ceremony is scheduled tonight
at the U.S. National
Arboretum in Washington, D.C. The extraordinary contributions of these scientists improve the welfare
of people, especially children; the health of animals; and the quality of the
environment, said ARS Administrator Floyd Horn. These individuals
are deserving additions to the Hall of Fame. Since 1986, the ARS Hall
of Fame program has recognized agency researchers for outstanding career
achievements in agricultural science. Those inducted are nominated by their
peers for making major contributions to agricultural research. The scientists
must be retired or eligible to retire to receive the honor. Holsingers efforts have helped feed needy children and families
around the world," said Horn. With colleagues, she developed a powdered
whey-soy drink mix with enhanced nutritional quality and storage stability
necessary to serve as a milk replacer in international food donation programs. The Department of Defensesolicited her expertise in milk and dairy products to help develop low-lactose,
milk-based beverages for military field rations. Her work also led to the
development of reduced-fat mozzarella cheese--now available nationwide and used
in the USDA National School Lunch
Program. Holsinger worked for ARS for 41 years and served as head of the
Dairy Products Research Unit at the
ARS Eastern Regional Research Center in
Wyndmoor, Pa., from 1985 until her retirement in October 1999. "Jensen developed techniques that allow field-specific
irrigation, said Horn. This has helped farmers worldwide save water
and energy, improve yields and reduce leaching of agricultural chemicals into
groundwater. Jensen joined ARS in 1955 and served as the national program leader for
water management research from 1978 until his retirement in 1987. He has
received more than a dozen other prestigious honors, including a Distinguished
Service Award in 1994 from Colorado State
University, the State-of-the-Art Award from the
American Society of Civil Engineers in 1992,
election to the
National
Academy of Engineering in 1988 and the Person of the Year Award from
The Irrigation Association in 1983. Moon was the first scientist to describe a major pattern of E. colilesions in the intestinal tract of animals. He described the mechanism by which
these bacteria attach to the intestinal wall and produce disease. Dr.
Moons scientific contributions, Horn said, have played an
important role in animal health and food safety. Moon joined USDA in 1968 as a research veterinarian at the
National Animal Disease Center in
Ames, Iowa. He was the centers director from 1988 until 1995. In the year
before his retirement in 1996, Moon served as director of
ARS Plum Island Animal Disease
Center in Greenport, N.Y. Moon has received USDA awards for superior service and outstanding research
leadership. He was elected to the
National Academy
of Sciences in 1991. Permanent copies of the plaques presented to the scientists will be on
display at ARS National Visitor
Center in Beltsville, Md. Story contacts Water Management Research U.S. Department of Agriculture |