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Bonnie Johnson
November 03, 2025
Media ArticleDistinguished Professor Eric Lam from the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers University has been awarded the 2025 Agriculture Innovation Award by the Rutgers Office for Research. The annual ceremony, held on October 7, celebrates innovation and research excellence among university faculty, researchers, and industry collaborators.
The Rutgers Innovation Awards, now in their second year, honor individuals whose ideas, technologies, or discoveries show strong potential to transform industries and improve lives. Winners are chosen based on criteria such as innovation, impact, utility, and economic value.
“Coming from my peers at Rutgers, this award is very special and gratifying for me as a researcher and innovator. The passion that I have had during my career at Rutgers to translate fundamental plant biology research into more sustainable solutions for crop protection has finally borne fruit,” said Lam, who was among ten awardees this year.
Lam’s current research, titled Creating a New Generation of Agrichemicals to Combat Plant Diseases by Harnessing Plant Metacaspases, aims to develop environmentally friendly agrichemicals that protect crops while reducing harmful effects on ecosystems. He continues to collaborate closely with the Rutgers Office of Research and Technology Transfer to support these advancements.
Rutgers leaders, including Keena Arbuthnot, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Michael E. Zwick, Senior Vice President for Research, presented the awards. Zwick emphasized teamwork in research, saying, “Societal challenges are becoming more complex, and the requirements for solving them constantly evolve for faculty, students, staff, and industry. We are all in this together, and we are a team with one goal: to leave a better world for our children and future Americans.”
This recognition highlights Lam’s lifelong dedication to innovation and sustainable agricultural development, marking another milestone in Rutgers’ commitment to advancing science and supporting global food security.
Photo by: sebsnjaesnews
