Sylvan Harold Wittwer (January 17, 1917 – January 20, 2012) was an American
agronomist
An agriculturist, agriculturalist, agrologist, or agronomist (abbreviated as agr.), is a professional in the science, practice, and management of agriculture and agribusiness. It is a regulated profession in Canada, India, the Philippines, the ...
who served as director of the agricultural experiment station at
Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
.
Wittwer was born in 1917 in
Hurricane, Utah
Hurricane ( ) is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. Its population was 20,036 as of the 2020 United States Census estimates. The Hurricane valley makes up the easternmost part of the St. George Metropolitan area and is becoming ...
. He received his bachelor's degree at
Utah State University
Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public land-grant research university in Logan, Utah. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. With nearly 20,000 students living on or near campus, USU is Utah's ...
and his doctors degree from the
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...
. He was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Honor of the College of Agriculture and Applied Science at
Utah State University
Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public land-grant research university in Logan, Utah. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. With nearly 20,000 students living on or near campus, USU is Utah's ...
, 2003.
Wittwer developed a chemical known as
Gibberellins
Gibberellins (GAs) are plant hormones that regulate various developmental processes, including stem elongation, germination, dormancy, flowering, flower development, and leaf and fruit senescence. GAs are one of the longest-known classes of plant ...
. He wrote ''Feeding a Billion'' (1987) and ''Food, Climate, and Carbon Dioxide: The Global Environment and World Food Production'' (1995). Another book he wrote was ''Greenhouse Tomatoes, Lettuce and Cucumber'' (1979).
Wittwer served as the first
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
of the
Lansing
Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, makin ...
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
Stake
Stake may refer to:
Entertainment
* '' Stake: Fortune Fighters'', a 2003 video game
* ''The Stake'', a 1915 silent short film
* "The Stake", a 1977 song by The Steve Miller Band from '' Book of Dreams''
* ''Stakes'' (miniseries), a Cartoon Netw ...
of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
(LDS Church) beginning in 1962. Wittwer had also served as the first
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
of the church's Lansing
Ward
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
beginning in 1952.
Wittwer was a member of the board of the
Greening Earth Society The Greening Earth Society, now defunct, was a public relations organization which denied the effects of climate change and the impacts of increased levels of carbon dioxide. The Society published the World Climate Report, a newsletter edited by P ...
and the
Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change
The Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Tempe, Arizona. It is seen as a front group for the fossil fuel industry, and as promoting climate change denial. The Center produces ...
.
Wittwer authored "Feeding a Billion" in 1987 published by Michigan State University Press with cover design by Lynne Brown.
Wittwer was on the board of directors of
Deseret Valley Academy, an anticipated independent LDS liberal arts college.
Management Team
/ref>
References
Further reading
*Giles H. Florence, Jr.
"Sylvan Wittwer: Feeding the World’s Hungry"
''Ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
'', March 1990.
*''Deseret News Church Almanac'', 2008 Edition, p. 237.
Short biography connected with his papers
Sylvan H. Wittwer's publications
1917 births
American agronomists
20th-century American chemists
American leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2012 deaths
Michigan State University faculty
People from Lansing, Michigan
People from Hurricane, Utah
Utah State University alumni
University of Missouri alumni
Latter Day Saints from Utah
Latter Day Saints from Missouri
Latter Day Saints from Michigan
Latter Day Saints from Nevada
{{LDS-bio-stub