Dr. W. Ronnie Coffman
Director, International Programs College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University
Dr. W. Ronnie Coffman was born in Kentucky. He earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees at the University of Kentucky and his Ph.D. at Cornell University. From 1971 to 1980, he served as a plant breeder at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines and as an adjunct professor at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños.
Dr. Coffman began his career at Cornell University in 1981 and continues to serve as International Professor and Chair of Plant Breeding as well as Director of International Programs fro the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He also serves as Director of the Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat Project, Vice Chair of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative and as Co-Director of the Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project (ABSPII). Additionally, he has served as a board member or consultant to numerous national and international institutions including the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA), the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
Dr. Coffman and his wife, Charlotte, have two children. In 2005, he received the American Society of Agronomy's International Service in Agronomy Award for his exceptional contributions to agronomy through education, national and international service, and research. He is also a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy.