Developing Leaders and Improving Lives in the World's Developing Countries
Cornell University dedicates the "Frosty" Hill Agricultural Research Fellowship to the memory of Dr. Forrest F. Hill, cofounder of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), in honor of his significant contributions to the application of agricultural sciences in addressing critical world food problems.
The Fellowship provides financial support for selected senior scientists from international centers supported by or affiliated with the CGIAR to spend from 3 to 12 months with scientists at Cornell University. More importantly, this Fellowship creates opportunities for scientists from the major international centers to work together with scientists from Cornell on significant agricultural problems of mutual priority and concern.
Scientists from both institutions benefit through the enhancement of their respective research capabilities on both basic and applied aspects of specific agricultural problems facing developing nations. Cornell University faculty and students benefit through close association with outstanding scientists who are concentrating on applied and specialized development problems. International centers benefit through the exposure of their scientists to new scientific methods and to basic and applied research efforts of direct relevance to their research programs and mandates.
Each Fellow is awarded the following at Cornell University:
In return, each fellow is expected to maintain a working relationship with faculty and graduate students and to give at least one collegewide lecture in the International Agriculture series. While no teaching is required, requests for occasional lectures may be expected.
It is assumed that the international center will provide salary support and international transportation for the Fellow and immediate family.
"Frosty" Hill was one of the founders and leaders of the CGIAR. In the 1960s, while vicepresident for overseas operations of the Ford Foundation, he collaborated with George Harrar of the Rockefeller Foundation to establish IRRI, CIMMYT, IITA, and CIAT. In 1971 he was instrumental in gaining international support for the creation of the CGIAR Secretariat. His contribution to the system continued through his membership on various CGIAR center boards.
Reflecting on his career in 1983, Dr. Hill (known as "Frosty" by his colleagues) told an interviewer, "I obtained more satisfaction from the work with the international research groups than anything else I have done in my lifetime. There is now in existence an international network of agricultural research institutes that work on all the principal food crops. If population continues to increase at its present rate, it is difficult to see how we will avoid being out of food in the years ahead, but some time has been gained in which to try to solve the problem. "
In addition to his work with the Ford Foundation and the CGIAR, "Frosty" Hill had a distinguished academic career. At Cornell University, he was professor and chair of the Department of Agricultural Economics, and later, University Provost. He served as president of the American Agricultural Economics Association and was a Fellow of the Association. His dedication to agricultural development, and his conviction that education is essential to this process, was rooted in his early work on limited-resource farming in New York State.
“The Fellowship is a truly outstanding opportunity that allows international research staff to get away from their routine work, come to the idyllic surrounds of the Cornell campus, interact wilh a stimulating group of researchers and faculty, and plan future research that will benefit their host institute.”
Ranajit Bandyopadhyay Scientist, ICRISAT Cereals Program, 1991-92 Fellow
“The 'Frosty' Hill Fellowship afforded Dr. Ranajit Bandyopadhyay and me a unique opportunity to conduct research at Cornell on the comparative epidemiology of two closely related crop diseases. For me, the rewards of this program included new insights on management of two significant agricultural problems, continuing research collaboration, and a lifelong friendship with my international colleague.”
Gary Bergstrom Associate Professor Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University
“Among the best experiences I had at Cornell were the interactions wilh the strong and diverse staff of the International Agriculture Program.”
Rey L. Villareal Scientist, CIMMYT, 1990-91 Fellow
©2009 Cornell Unversity.