UNH Today

Iago Hale, associate professor of specialty crop improvement, has been named UNH’s 2024 J. Brent Loy Innovator of the Year, recognizing his pioneering work in the kiwiberry research and breeding program. 年度创新者奖，每年由 UNHInnovation, celebrates the commercialization of innovative ideas originating from UNH research that have substantial social and economic impact.

Hale 在培育这些耐寒植物方面发挥了重要作用, 葡萄大小的水果成为东北地区很有前途的园艺作物. His efforts focus on enhancing kiwiberry varieties for commercial production, emphasizing traits like flavor, texture and overall appearance that make them appealing for both local and regional markets.

Hale’s ongoing partnership with UNHInnovation ensures that his research extends beyond academic circles, influencing industry practices and enhancing the economic landscape of New England's agricultural sector.

“I did not invent kiwiberries,” says Hale. “在我之前有很多人来过, 一直追溯到几千年前的农村社区, 谁认识到这些物种在野外的优点. 我认为这样的奖项是对这一漫长历史当之无愧的认可, 为公共利益共同努力管理植物遗传多样性.”

The kiwiberry’s potential to become a new high-value crop aligns with Hale’s vision of transforming regional agriculture. His research not only meets consumer demands for high-quality local produce but also boosts the viability of local farms through the creation of new agricultural enterprises and value-added products. “每个人都应该多吃些奇怪的水果，”黑尔说.

“This kind of long-term, relatively high-risk research lies at the heart of the land-grant university mission.”

The award highlights Hale's significant contributions to agricultural innovation, including a forthcoming commercial license that promises to enhance kiwiberry production and distribution. His collaborative efforts with other universities and several industry partners underline the commercial viability and scalability of his research.

“Research is core to a vibrant, healthy economy,” UNH Provost Wayne Jones said at the ceremony honoring Hale as Innovator of the Year. “And particularly at UNH, it contributes to the sustainability of the world we live in. Today we are celebrating a colleague who has successfully transitioned his innovations in the lab into social and economic impact.”

Unlike other fields of study, the innovation timeline for plant breeding from initial concept to an improved variety often requires a decade or more of dedicated research. “I believe that this kind of long-term, relatively high-risk research lies at the heart of the land-grant university mission,” says Hale. “It would not be possible without consistent support from our New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station and the many people here who ‘just get it.’ UNH is exceptional in that regard.”

“The spirit of the Innovator of the Year Award is to honor the innovator who best embodies the philosophy of translating UNH research into products or services that benefit the public,” says Jenna Matheny, uninnovation的技术转移主管. “We’re very pleased to recognize Dr. 伊阿古·黑尔，以表彰他在研究领域的众多贡献.”

The J. Brent Loy Innovator of the Year Award is named after the late Loy, 谁对瓜类(南瓜)的开创性研究, cucumbers and melons) significantly bolstered UNH’s intellectual property and technology transfer initiatives. Like Loy, Hale's work exemplifies the university’s mission to foster innovation that impacts society positively.

“如果我的工作与霍金博士有任何联系. Loy is a tremendous honor,” says Hale. “Over his long career, Brent really demonstrated the potential of a public plant breeding program to improve the lives of people, not just in the region, but globally. 我的工作是种植被忽视和未充分利用的作物, 我渴望在这项工作中取得他所取得的影响的一小部分.”

了解更多永利app新版本官网地址黑尔猕猴桃的研究 Nor’East Kiwiberries website or in this UNH’s SPARK feature.