Drs. Shawn Mansfield and Yousry El-Kassabi, have recently been selected to receive the 2010 IUFRO  Scientific Achievement Award. This prestigious award is given in recognition of distinguished scientific achievements within the fields of forestry research, and will be presented in person during the Opening ceremony of the XXIII IUFRO World Congress in, Seoul, South Korea, August 2010.

Dr. El-Kassaby is a Professor in Forest Sciences Department and Senior Industry-NSERC Research Chair of Applied Forest Genetics and Biotechnology. Over the course of his career he has authored or co-authored more than 200 refereed publications, book chapters and invited papers.

Dr. El-Kassaby has a long-term interest in association genetics and is currently engaged in a large collaborative applied genomics SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) association study of biofuel-related traits. Other aspects of his research include efficient and advanced generation seed orchard designs; genetic diversity; accurate in situ wood quality assessment methods for tree breeding and utilization programs; and application of Artificial Neural Networks to seed orchard management and wood quality assessment.
 

Dr. Mansfield is Professor in the Wood Sciences Department and has been viewed unanimously by peers as being an exceptionally dedicated, focused and productive academic. He has established an outstanding and internationally recognized research program on biotechnological aspects of wood and fibre quality. His research is focused on establishing the links between genotype and phenotype in trees, and the impact on reforestation efforts, future tree breeding practices and productivity and competitiveness of the forest sector as a whole. Shawn leads a well supported, dynamic research group that is internationally acknowledged to be one of the leading groups in this field.