ANNUAL REPORT: June 1, 2008 – May 31, 2009
(i.e., Summer 2008, AY 2008-2009)
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOREST BIOLOGY
SUNY-ESF
NAME: Lawrence B. Smart
I. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES
1. Regular Course Offerings
Course No.
Title
Credit
Hrs.
No.
Students
No. of Lab.
Sections
SUMMER:
None
FALL:
EFB325 Cell Physiology
3
82
0
EFB495 Experience in College Teaching
3
1
0
EFB530 Plant Physiology
3
17
0
EFB531 Plant Physiology Lab
2
2
1
13
0
SPRING:
BTC499 Senior Project Synthesis in Biotechnology 1
2. Non-Scheduled Course Offerings (e.g., 496, 899, 999)
Course No.
BTC498
ESF499
BTC420
EFB999
Title
Research Problems in Biotech
Honors Thesis Research
Internship in Biotech
Doctoral Dissertation Research
Credit
Hrs.
3
3
5
1
No.
Students
3
1
4
1
3. Continuing Education and Extension (short courses, workshops, etc.)
4. Guest Lecture Activities
Course No.
Title
No. of Lectures
II. STUDENT ADVISING
A. Number of undergraduates for whom you are the student’s official advisor __24_ and unofficial advisor _____
B. Graduate Students: (Name, degree sought, starting date, month & year; if a degree was completed, please give
date and full citation for the thesis or dissertation).
MAJOR PROFESSOR
Emily Pulley, M.S. defended July 2008 “Molecular Basis for Differential Uptake and Sensitivity to Arsenic
Among Clones of Shrub Willow”
CO-MAJOR PROFESSOR
Michelle Serapiglia, Ph.D. candidate, started 8/2005 (with Art Stipanovic)
MEMBER, STEERING COMMITTEE (other than those listed above)
1. Jaconette Mirck, Ph.D., FNRM - defended December 2008
2. Michelle (Thorne) Green, Ph.D., Biology, S.U.
3. Aditya Dutta, Ph.D., Biology, S.U.
4. DeAnn Barnhart, Ph.D., SB3, Forest Chemistry
5. Bo Zhang, Ph.D., EFB
6. Julie (Sullivan) Caruana, Ph.D., Biology, S.U.
7. Godfrey Ofezu, Ph.D., FNRM
8. Pallavi Gupta, Ph.D., Biology, S.U.
9. Kathleen Pitcher, M.S., EFB
10. Jessica Ellis, M.S., Biology, S.U.
11. Kevin Shoemaker, Ph.D., EFB
12. Laura Schifman, M.S., FNRM
CHAIRMAN OR READER ON THESIS EXAMS, ETC.
C. High School Students none
D. Post-doctoral/Research Scientists 1. Kimberly Cameron - Started 4/2004
E. Research Support Specialists none
III. RESEARCH COMPLETED OR UNDERWAY
A. Departmental Research (unsupported, boot-legged; title - % time spent)
B. 1. Grant-supported Research (source, subject, amount - total award and current year, award period starting
and ending dates; list graduate research assistants supported by each grant)
T.A. Volk, T.E. Amidon, C. Baier, T. Buchholz, R.H. Germain, M. Kelleher, V. Luzadis, R.W. Malmsheimer
“Renewable Fuels Roadmap and Sustainable Biomass Feedstock Supply for New York”
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (subcontract from Pace University)
Total award: $110,007; Start date: 12/1/2008; End date: 11/30/2009
L.B. Smart, L.P. Abrahamson, C.A. Maynard, and T.A. Volk
“Applying Genomic Approaches to the Improvement of Shrub Willow Bioenergy Crops”
USDA-CSREES McIntire-Stennis Program
Total award: $58,720 (direct costs only), Start date: 8/15/2008; End date: 9/30/2010
T.A. Volk, L.P. Abrahamson, and L.B. Smart
“Developing Living Snowfences in New York”
New York State Department of Transportation
Total award: $280,254, Start date: 8/1/2008; End date: 12/31/2011
A.J. Stipanovic, L.B. Smart, and W.T. Winter
“Purchase of a New Thermogravimetric Analyzer for Biomass Characterization”
USDA-CSREES - National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program
Total Award: $50,000, Start date: 8/1/2008; End date: 7/31/2009
L.P. Abrahamson, L.B. Smart, and T.A. Volk
“Wood Biomass as an Alternative Farm Product”
USDA-CSREES
Total award: $133,459, Start date: 5/29/2008; End date: 5/1/2009
L.B. Smart, L.P. Abrahamson, and T.A. Volk
“Demonstrating Improved Yield and Encouraging Adoption of New Varieties of Fast-Growing Shrub Willow
Bioenergy Crops”
New York Farm Viability Institute
Total award: $125,000; Start date: 4/1/2008; End date: 9/30/2009
T.A. Volk, L.P. Abrahamson, L.B. Smart, and E.H. White
“Overcoming Barriers to Facilitate the Commercialization of Willow Biomass Crops as a Feedstock for Biofuels,
Bioenergy, and Bioproducts”
USDA Rural Development (USDA-DOE Biomass R&D Program)
Total award: $813,415, Start date: 11/8/2006; End date: 2/7/2010
T.A. Volk, L.P. Abrahamson, and L.B. Smart
“Reducing the cost of willow biomass by improving harvest system efficiency and reducing harvesting costs”
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
Total award: $126,688, Start date: 8/16/2006; End date: 6/30/2009
T.A. Volk, L.P. Abrahamson, and L.B. Smart
“Center of Excellence in Watershed Application and Technology - Willow Biomass Project”
New York City Department of Environmental Protection (subcontract from SUNY-Delhi)
Willow Biomass Task: $384,615, Start date: 7/1/2006; End date: 6/30/2009
2. Research Proposals pending (as in B.1., above)
Amidon and multiple PIs
“Woody Biomass and Bioenergy Research Center”
US Dept. of Energy
Total request: $24,980,279, 7/1/09-6/30/14 -DECLINED
T.A. Volk, L.P. Abrahamson, and L.B. Smart
“NE Woody Crops Development Project”
US Dept. of Energy - Sun Grant Feedstock Devel. Program
Total request: $80,000, 11/1/08 – 10/31/09 - AWARDED
Smart, L.B., Abrahamson, L.P., and Loeb, G.E. (Cornell)
“Assessing Productivity, Pest Impact, and Pest Management of Advanced Selections of Willow Bioenergy Crop
Varieties”
Northeast Sun Grant Program
Total request: $179,134, 1/1/10-12/31/11 - DECLINED
Corgie and multiple PIs (Cornell)
“Integrated FT-NIR chemometric models for multi-phase characterization and process analysis for the conversion of
lignocellulosic feedstock”
USDA-AFRI
Total request: $481,253, 9/1/09-8/31/11 - PENDING
IV. PUBLICATIONS (Full bibliographic citation, i.e., do not use "with Jones," or "Jones, et al."; please list only
publications published, in press, or actually submitted during this reporting period --- do not list manuscripts
in preparation).
A. Refereed Publications
Lin, J., Gibbs, J.P., and Smart, L.B. (2009) Population genetic structure of native versus naturalized sympatric shrub
willows. Amer. J. Bot. 96: 771–785.
Serapiglia, M.J., Cameron, K.D., Stipanovic, A.J., Smart, L.B. (2009) Analysis of biomass composition using
high-resolution thermogravimetric analysis and percent bark content for the selection of shrub willow
bioenergy crop varieties. BioEnerg. Res. 2:1-9.
Purdy, J.J. and Smart, L.B. (2008) Hydroponic screening of shrub willow (Salix spp.) for arsenic tolerance and
uptake. Intl. J. Phytoremed., 10:515-528.
B. Non-refereed Publications
Smart, L.B. and Cameron, K.D. (2008) Genetic improvement of willow (Salix spp.) as a dedicated bioenergy crop.
In Vermerris, W. E. (ed.) Genetic Improvement of Bioenergy Crops, Springer Science, NY, 347-376.
Smart, L.B. and Town, C. (2009) Shotgun sequencing of the willow (Salix purpurea L.) genome. Submitted to the
DOE Joint Genome Institute on Feb. 20, 2009. (white paper).
C. Papers Presented at Science Meetings (give title, date, occasion, and location)
Smart, L.B., Cameron, K.D., Serapiglia, M.J., Stipanovic, A.J., Volk, T.A., and Abrahamson L.P. “Genetics of
yield and biomass composition of shrub willow bioenergy crops for North America”. Short Rotation Crops
International Conference, Minneapolis, MN, August 19, 2008. Invited oral presentation (also session chair).
Pulley, E.E. and Smart, L.B. “Characterization of arsenic uptake under phosphorus sufficient and deficient conditions
in shrub willow (Salix spp.) clones of differing As sensitivities”. Short Rotation Crops International
Conference, Minneapolis, MN, August 18-22, 2008. Poster presentation.
Smart, L.B., Cameron, K.D., Serapiglia, M.J., Volk, T.A., and Abrahamson L.P. “Breeding, selection, and
commercialization of shrub willow bioenergy crops in North America” Pan-American Congress on Plants and
BioEnergy, Mérida, Mexico, June 25, 2008. Invited mini-symposium talk (also mini-symposium chair) and
poster presentation.
D. Public Service Presentations (lectures, seminars, etc. to and for the public; give group or occasion, date(s), and
attendance)
Smart, L.B. “Genetics of yield and biomass composition of shrub willow bioenergy crops for North America”. Dept.
of Horticulture, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Mar. 9, 2009. Invited departmental seminar.
Smart, L.B. “Development of Fast-Growing Shrub Willow Crops for Heat, Power, and Biofuels” New York State
Maple Producer’s Winter Conference, Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School, Verona, NY, January 10, 2009.
Invited session speaker.
Smart, L.B. “Genetics of yield and biomass composition of shrub willow bioenergy crops for North America”. Dept.
of Horticultural Sciences, Cornell University, NYS Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, NY. Nov. 4,
2008. Invited departmental seminar.
Smart, L.B. “Genetic improvement of shrub willow for bioenergy in North America” Rothamsted Research, UK, June
3, 2008. Invited seminar.
V. PUBLIC SERVICE
A. Funded Service (include consulting activities)
1. Government Agencies (Federal, State, Local):
2. Industrial and Commercial Groups, etc.
B. Unfunded Service to Governmental Agencies, Public Interest Groups, etc.
Empire Farm Days – three-day exhibit in August 2008.
New York State Fair – two-day exhibit in Horticulture Building in August 2008.
Perennial Bioenergy Feedstock Day – Field tour – USDA Big Flats Plant Material Center – July 29, 2008 105 guests.
VI. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
A. Professional Honors and Awards (for teaching, research, outreach, etc.)
B. 1. Activities in Professional Organizations (offices held, service as chairman, member, participant or
consultant)
Executive Committee, Northeast Section American Society of Plant Biologists
Northeast Section Representative to National Executive Committee, American Society of Plant Biologists
Membership Committee, American Society of Plant Biologists
2. Professional Society Membership
American Society for Horticultural Science
American Society of Plant Biologists
Botanical Society of America
Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists
New York Farm Bureau
New York Flora Association
3. Other Professional Activities
a. Editorial activity
Journal (s)
BioEnergy Research
Responsibility
Editorial board
Other (books, symposia, etc.)
b. Reviewer
Journal(s)
BioEnergy Research
Crop Science
Acta Biologica Cracoviensia
J. Exp. Bot.
Agency
No. of manuscripts
2
1
1
1
No. of proposals
CPBR
US Civ. R&D Dev Fdn-CART
NSF
UNH-Hatch Program
ESF Seed Grant
1
1
2
1
1
Other
Royal Society of Chemistry Books
1
c. Participation (workshops, symposia, etc.)
Name of workshop, etc.
Biofuels Roadmap Stakeholders Workshop
Date
3/19/09
Place
Bath, NY
C. Further Education/Re-training Undertaken, Leaves, Workshops, etc.
D. Foreign Travel (Where, When, Purpose)
Rothamsted Research, UK - June 1-5, 2008 - Deliver seminar and meet with willow breeders/genomics
researchers and companies.
Merida, Mexico - June 22-28, 2008 - Attend Plants and Bioenergy Meeting and Annual Meeting of the ASPB
Executive Committee
Montreal, QC, Canada - Sept. 29-30, 2008 - Attend meeting with potential willow business cooperators and visit
research trials.
VII. ADMINISTRATIVE AND SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES (include committee participation)
A. Department-level
1. Selection Committee-Lowe and Wilcox Fellowship (Chair)
2. Coordinator - Controlled temperature growth facilities
3. Supervisor, Ms. Bridget McMaster
4. Course and Curriculum Assessment Committee
B. College-level
1. Radiation Safety Committee
2. Institutional Biosafety Committee
C. University-wide, including Research Foundation
VIII. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THIS
REPORTING PERIOD, ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST NOTEWORTHY AND RELATIVE TO THE
COLLEGE’S AND DEPARTMENT’S MISSION. One paragraph on each of the following would be most helpful:
this past year, what have you done for our students, department/college, and self professionally? NOTE: The
information in this section (along with the supporting specific information elsewhere in this report) should be your
strongest case for being considered for a discretionary raise, which I’ll continue to award based on your contributions to
the department and college this reporting period.
What I have done for our students:
This year, I believe I was particularly diligent in encouraging undergraduate participation in my research programs. I
engaged four students in year-long research projects, including one who was awarded a competitive summer research
fellowship from the American Society of Plant Biologists and completed one of only three Honors Theses at ESF this
year. In addition, I employed another fourteen undergraduate students in part-time research aide positions. I
continued to deliver my coursework with a high level of rigor and quality, which is recognized by my students in the
high evaluation scores I received. My mean score of 4.3 for EFB325 was close to the highest in my 12 years teaching
the course, while my scores of 4.8 for EFB530 and 4.9 for BTC499 were the highest I have ever received. I believe
that I served as a compassionate, informed, and reliable advisor of the ~25 undergraduate students who were assigned
to me. I believe that I also provided valuable and informed advice to the 13 graduate students on whose steering
committees I serve, particularly to Emily Pulley, who defended her M.S. in July 2008 and was immediately hired by
Edenspace, a plant biotech firm in Virginia and to Michelle Serapiglia, who has published two papers already and has
won multiple awards.
What I have done for the department/college:
While I have reduced my commitment to departmental and college committees this year relative to previous years, I
continue to serve on the Radiation Safety Committee and Institutional Biosafety Committees. I also serve as the Chair
of the Lowe-Wilcox Scholarship Committee and helped manage the award process for that and the Zabel Scholarship.
For the first half of the year, I served on the EFB Curriculum Committee, helping to guide the discussions on curricular
assessment. I served as the supervisor for Bridget McMaster, Instructional Support Specialist. I also served on the
mentoring committee for Dr. Jesse Brunner. I believe my strongest contributions have been to advance the positive
image and reputation of the department and college through the successes of my research and commercialization
program in willow bioenergy crops and through my participation in professional activities as a member of the ASPB
Executive Committee and the Editorial Board of BioEnergy Research.
What I have done for myself professionally:
Over the past year, I have continued to strengthen my international reputation and stature in the field of bioenergy crop
research. Publishing three peer-reviewed papers and a book chapter on willow bioenergy crop breeding has
contributed to this, as has chairing sessions and presenting papers at two international meetings on bioenergy crops and
visiting the top willow breeding/genomics program in the world at Rothamsted Research. Most rewarding has been the
recognition of the Plant Genomics Group at the DOE Joint Genome Institute of the need to sequence the willow
genome. They asked me and my collaborator, Chris Town (J. Craig Venter Institute), to lead the project, which has
been initiated by writing a white paper justifying the selection of a genotype and isolating DNA for next generation
sequencing. Finally, I have devoted significant time this year to pursuing a faculty position at another university, which
was motivated selfishly to advance my professional career and improve my personal home life.
IX. A. FUTURE PLANS, AMBITIONS, AND POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR YOUR OWN
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE PROGRAM IN
ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOREST BIOLOGY (brief summary)
In accepting a faculty position at my alma mater, Cornell University, I hope to advance my research programs in willow
bioenergy crop breeding, genetics, and genomics, while also serving the people and agricultural businesses of the State
in accordance with the land grant mission of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Critical in these efforts will
be continued strong collaboration with my colleagues at SUNY-ESF and other SUNY campuses. I believe that the
collaborations between my emerging program at Cornell, the long-term successful programs at SUNY-ESF, and
research programs at other SUNY campuses in advancing the study of willows and the willow crop enterprise can
become a model for state-wide Cornell-SUNY cooperation, highlighted by research success, undergraduate and
graduate student participation, and commercial development. In support of this vision, I request that EFB grant me
Adjunct Professor status starting on July 1, 2009. I will continue to co-advise the doctoral dissertation research of
Michelle Serapiglia in EFB until her defense in the fall semester. I will also enthusiastically continue to serve on
graduate steering committees of ESF and SU students.
B. PROJECTED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT YEAR
1. Summer 2009
a. Course(s) to be offered
none
b. Proposed research activity
Summer research activities in willow bioenergy crop breeding and selection and continued co-supervision of
Michelle Serapiglia, Ph.D. student in EFB. I need to write two book chapters, revise two papers that were
declined for publication, and submit two other papers.
c. University, professional society, and public service
Executive and Membership Committees of ASPB
Editorial Board, BioEnergy Research