IRRI community says goodbye to Stephan Haefele and Sigrid Heuer

The IRRI community bade farewell to Stephan Haefele, senior scientist, agronomy and soil science in CESD, and Sigrid Heuer, senior scientist, molecular biology in PBGB, last night (3 December) before a dinner at the IRRI Guesthouse.

Dr. Haefele spent 9 fruitful years at IRRI conducting research on nutrient and crop management of rainfed rice. His work identified flexible and robust site-specific nutrient management for drought-prone rainfed lowland rice, taking toposequence and water availability into account.

Stephan also investigated varietal effects on nutrient-use efficiency of rainfed rice subjected to different degrees of drought stress. He integrated improved varieties with resource management packages to improve the productivity of rice and increase opportunities for a postrice crop in the rainfed environments of Asia.

He initiated research on the potential of biochar (made of rice residue) to improve soil fertility and decrease the negative effect of rice-based systems on global climate. As leader of the drought working group of the Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Environments (CURE), he represented IRRI's crop and natural resource management research to a wide audience and played a major role in enhancing the capacity of national agricultural research and extension systems.

Stephan has been an excellent IRRI citizen: being involved on many committees, serving as editor-in-chief of International Rice Research Notes (IRRN), and working on other important institutional research efforts. His congenial attitude and good nature will be highly missed by his colleagues and friends.

Dr. Heuer made remarkable contributions over the past 9 years to IRRI's molecular breeding team, which led to the discovery of high-value genes from traditional varieties through the molecular elucidation of major-effect QTLs. She had a strong collaboration with breeders, national agricultural research and extension systems, and advanced research institutes and commitment to improving the life of marginal and small rice farmers.

This led to the development of varieties tolerant of submergence and phosphorus deficiency, currently grown in farmers' fields using gene-based markers. Her passion for science has set an example for IRRI's young scientists to publish in the world's top high-impact journals and strengthen IRRI's reputation in science.

The Institute sincerely wishes both Stephan and Sigrid well in their new jobs in Australia.

(Prepared by Gene Hettel, head, CPS)