Professor, Bayer Chair in Soybean Breeding,
Associate Chair of Discovery and Engagement, Department of Agronomy,
Director of Graduate Education (Plant Breeding),
1501 Agronomy Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
Phone: 515-294-3268; Email: singhak@iastate.edu
My professional interest is to help improve agricultural production and use research/breeding activities for the benefit of farmers and the agriculture industry. I am committed to develop superior soybean cultivars and germplasm for use by farmers and other stakeholders. I have participated in the development of 42 commercial cultivars (annually grown in >10 million acres) and 13 germplasm lines, published >125 peer-reviewed publications (and additionally >150 conference/meeting abstracts or posters), served as a PI/co-PI on >55 funded projects from multiple sources, and given >65 invited talks nationally and internationally. My plant-breeding experience spans soybean, durum wheat, wheat, maize, oats, and barley.
I have co-authored textbook "Plant Breeding and Cultivar Development" (Academic Press, USA; 2021).
I lead a breeding, discovery and tool-development driven group, with an interest in using transcending approaches and research activities to prepare and promote the next generation of exceptionally capable and creative people who will work in inter- and trans-disciplinary teams to conduct critical research and establish productive breeding and research programs and pipelines.
Outside of work, I prefer to spend time with family and friends, traveling, food tasting, and watching sports. Favorite sports and teams: NFL; CFL (Saskatchewan Roughriders), MLB (Toronto Blue Jays), NHL (Toronto Maple Leafs), NBA (Toronto Raptors).
EDUCATION
2003-2007 Ph.D. University of Guelph, Plant Genetics and Breeding, Maize Breeding.
1998-2001 M.Sc. University of Saskatchewan, Plant Science, Barley Breeding.
1994-1998 B.Sc. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, G.B Pant University, Electives in Genetics and Plant Breeding
APPOINTMENTS
2020-present Professor, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. Nine month appointment: 80% Research, 20% Teaching
2021-present Associate Chair of Discovery and Engagement, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University of Science and Technology.
2018-present Director of Graduate Education (Plant Breeding), Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University of Science and Technology.
2018-present Associate Editor, Science partner journal Plant Phenomics.
2017-2020 Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. Nine month appointment: 80% Research, 20% Teaching
2013-2017 Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. Nine month appointment: 80% Research, 20% Teaching
2007-2013 Research Scientist, Durum wheat breeder (Permanent position), Agriculture and AgriFood Canada. 12 month appointment: 100% research
2001-2002 Research Assistant, Crop Development Center, University of Saskatchewan (Barley and Oat breeding)