By WANG Yingshuang, LIU Zhimin

The 2016 GCHERA World Agriculture Prize Award Laureate Announcement Ceremony was held in Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU) of China on September 20, 2016. The Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agricultural and Life Sciences (GCHERA) officially announced that the 2016 World Agriculture Prize Laureate was Prof. Lorne BABIUK, a world-renowned virologist and a pioneer in the area of animal vaccines who has been responsible for major advances in our understanding of the biology of infectious diseases and the role of vaccines in their control.The award is in recognition of Lorne BABIUK’s remarkable success in developing six animal vaccines which have dramatically improved the health of animals around the world, creating a world-renowned a world-class research facility and training more than one hundred graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who populate all corners of the world, working in governments, organizations, biotechnology and major bio-pharmaceutical companies, as well as academia.

DING Yanfeng, Vice-President of NAU, chaired the 2016 GCHERA WAP Laureate Announcement Ceremony. ZHOU Guanghong, the Vice-President of GCHERA and the president of NAU gave a welcome speech. The President of GCHERA, John KENNELLY stated the mission of GCHERA, the purpose of GCHERA World Agriculture Prize, and announced the 2016 GCHERA WAP laureate was Prof. Lorne BABIUK, a world-renowned expert in infectious diseases and their control, specifically through vaccination. The Secretary General of GCHERA, Simon HEATH briefed the 2016 GCHERA WAP selection process, and Lorne BABIUK’s  “exceptional and significant” lifetime achievements in engaging in the mission of higher education institutions relating to the agricultural and life sciences. Prof. Lorne BABIUK made an Acceptance speech. Prof. Ronnie COFFMAN, Laureate of the 1st GCHERA WAP, congratulated the 2016 laureate and made a short speech. After the announcement, the official launch ceremony of  WAP Fund was held.

Opening words by DING Yanfeng (Vice-President of NAU)

Welcome speech by ZHOU Guanghong (the president of NAU)  

Simon HEATH (Secretary General of GCHERA)’s speech 

John KENNELLY (the President of GCHERA)’s speech

2016 GCHERA WAP laureate Prof. Lorne BABIUK

                           

Ronnie COFFMAN (2013 GCHERA WAP Laureate)’s speech

At the end of the Ceremony, Joseph JEN, Former Deputy Minister of United States Department of Agriculture delivered a speech on the 4th laureate of this prestigious international award, and the successful launch of WAP Fund.

Joseph JEN(Former Deputy Minister of United States Department of Agriculture)’s speech

Following Up

After the ceremony, a live interview was held on the VIP Room of Jingling hall, NAU. The 2016 laureate, representatives from GCHERA, NAU, DBN Group and other related parties attended the interview. 

 

The interview was followed by an academic workshop on Producing Graduates Who Are Transformative Leaders in Society. First, Lorne BABIUK, Laureate of the 2016(4th)GCHERA WAP, Vice-President (Research), University of Alberta, Canada, presented a speech titled with“Food Security: Is vaccination the answer?” Then, Ronnie COFFMAN, Laureate of the 1st GCHERA WAP, Director of International Programs, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Cornell University, U.S.A, carried out a presentation entitled”Cornell University: Producing Transformative Leaders for 150 Years.”John J KENNELLY, President of GCHERA, chaired the workshop.

The morning event concluded with the DBN Young Scientist Prize Award Ceremony.

The ceremony was honored with distinguished guests from across the world, including John J. Kennelly(President of GCHERA), Simon B. Heath(Secretary General of GCHERA), Ronnie Coffman(Laureate of the 1st GCHERA WAP, Director of International Programs, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Cornell University, U.S.A), Lorne BABIUK, Laureate of the 4th GCHERA WAP, Vice-President (Research), University of Alberta, Canada), John Munene (Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration & Finance), Egerton University, Kenya), Joseph JEN(Former Deputy Minister of United States Department of Agriculture).

 

Acknowledge:All the pictures are provided by News Agency of NAU