Published on Jan. 26, 2026

Updated on Jan. 28, 2026

Congratulations are in order for Bond LSC’s Wes Warren. He is among honorees of the The Academy of Science — St. Louis for 2026.

Receiving the Fellows Award for Outstanding Achievement in Science, the Bond LSC principal investigator and Curators’ Professor of Genomics in the Division of Animal Sciences, Department of Surgery, and the Data Science and Informatics Institute joins six prominent scientists and one collaborative program in receiving accolades. They will be officially recognized at an awards ceremony April 8, 2026, at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Read the full release below.

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Monday, January 26, 2026

THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE OF ST. LOUIS ANNOUNCES HONOREES FOR THE 28th ANNUAL OUTSTANDING ST. LOUIS SCIENTISTS AWARDS

ST. LOUIS, MO – The Academy of Science – St. Louis is proud to announce the recipients of the 28th Annual Outstanding St. Louis Scientists Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the advancement of science, engineering, and technology. The awards ceremony will be held on April 8, 2026, at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Since its inception, the Outstanding St. Louis Scientists Awards has honored some of the brightest minds in the region, celebrating their exceptional achievements, groundbreaking discoveries, and lasting impact on science and society. This year’s honorees represent a diverse array of disciplines and highlight the vital scientific work taking place in the region. More information about each of the honorees is available on our website: https://academyofsciencestl.org/awards/

2026 Award Recipients

Peter H. Raven Lifetime Achievement Award (Career of Service in Science, Engineering, or Technology)

• Johannes Daniël (JD) Rossouw, Ph.D., Bayer – Dr. JD Rossouw is a global leader in agricultural science whose career has reshaped modern plant breeding strategies and advanced food security worldwide. From his early work as a Monsanto maize breeder in South Africa to his current position as Senior Vice President and Global Breeding Lead at Bayer, he has unified regional programs into global platforms that drive innovation, resilience, and impact. Rossouw’s vision delivers life-changing solutions to farmers worldwide.

Science Leadership Award (Leadership in Advancing Science and Scientists)

• Bayer University Mentorship Program, Bayer and University of Missouri – Since 2017, the Bayer University Mentoring Program (B4U) has transformed how future scientists bridge academia and industry, establishing a scalable, unique model of scientific leadership. Launched in 2018 by Bayer Crop Science leaders Robert Gaeta, Ph.D., Huachun Larue, Ph.D., Thomas Slewinski, Ph.D., and Phil Taylor, Ph.D., in collaboration with David Braun, Ph.D. at the University of Missouri, the program addresses a long-standing gap in university students’ education on industry careers.

Fellows Award (Outstanding Achievement in Science)

• Brianna White, Ph.D., Bayer – Vice President of Trait Design and Sciences at Bayer, Dr. White is a transformative scientific leader whose career bridges chemistry and plant biotechnology, delivering groundbreaking innovations that advance global agriculture.
• Wesley Warren, Ph.D., University of Missouri – Curators’ Professor of Genomics in the Division of Animal Sciences, Department of Surgery, and the Data Science and Informatics Institute at the University of Missouri, Dr. Wes Warren is a globally recognized leader in comparative genomics. Dr. Warren has spent over 30 years advancing our understanding of genome evolution and function through highly impactful research.

George Engelmann Interdisciplinary Award (Collaborative Science Achievement)

• Vasit Sagan, Ph.D., Saint Louis University– Professor of Geospatial Science and Computer Science, Associate Vice President for Geospatial Science at Saint Louis University (SLU), and Chief Scientist for Food Security & Digital Agriculture with the Taylor Geospatial Institute (TGI), Dr. Vasit Sagan is a world-renowned scientist in remote sensing and GeoAI, an educator, and a geospatial evangelist who has championed geospatial field building through national-level policy and funding initiatives, including his leadership on the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC), directs SLU’s Remote Sensing Lab and previously served as the Founding/Acting Director of TGI, where he guided the consortium’s launch and rapid growth into one of the nation’s premier geospatial research institutes.

Science Educator Award (Excellence in Science Education or Communication)

• Katherine Murphy, Ph.D., Danforth Plant Science Center – Dr. Katie Murphy is the Director of Phenotyping and a Principal Investigator at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. Murphy’s independent research group develops and deploys innovative, high-throughput technologies to measure whole-plant traits. Murphy has also been recognized for her role as an advocate and mentor to young scientists, particularly women. She is a skilled scientific communicator and has shared her research on TikTok, PBS, Story Collider Podcast, the Missouri Botanical Garden Sach’s Museum, and more.

Catalyst Award for Early Career Excellence (Exceptional Potential in Science, Engineering, or Technology)

• Meredith Sigman, Ph.D., Bayer – Guided by a conviction that science can improve agricultural challenges, Meredith Sigman, Ph.D., has become a transformative force in plant biotechnology. As a Gene Expression Liaison at Bayer, she combines scientific expertise with communication and a clear vision for advancing global food security. As the incoming lead for Bayer’s B4U Mentoring Program Talent and Development Pillar, Sigman also mentors early-career researchers as they refine skills, expand networks and turn discovery into real-world impact.

A Celebration of Science and Innovation

The Outstanding St. Louis Scientists Awards Ceremony will bring together the region’s scientific, academic, and business communities to celebrate the honorees’ remarkable achievements. The event will also highlight the Academy’s ongoing commitment to fostering science literacy and inspiring the next generation of innovators.

For more information about the event, sponsorship opportunities, or to purchase tickets, please visit www.academyofsciencestl.org/awards or contact Christina Carlson (ccarlson@academyofsciencestl.org).