Zeyaur Khan, Leader of the icipe push-pull programme, inducted as a member of TWAS

Prof. Zeyaur Khan, icipe Thomas Risley Odhiambo Distinguished Fellow and leader of the widely-reputed push-pull programme, has been elected a Fellow of TWAS, The World Academy of Sciences (http://twas.ictp.it).

The Fellowship of TWAS is awarded to internationally renowned scientists, who have made remarkable contribution to the advancement of science and science-based sustainable development in the South.

Prof. Khan’s election as a Fellow of TWAS adds to his growing list of accolades for his role in developing and disseminating push-pull, an innovative technology that simultaneously addresses the three key constraints of cereal production in Africa, which are stem borers, striga weed and poor soil fertility.

In 2011, Prof. Khan was awarded the TWAS Prize for Agriculture, jointly with incoming icipe Director General, Dr. Segenet Kelemu. In 2010, he received the designation of Fellow of the Entomological Society of America (ESA), which is accorded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the science of entomology, with only 10 such distinction made annually. He was also the 2010 winner of ESA’s Nan-Yao Su Award for Innovation and Creativity in Entomology. In addition, he was elected to the Council of the International Congress of Entomology, and nominated Distinguished Scientist of the international branch of ESA. Further, Prof. Khan was designated a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, London.

In 2009, Prof. Khan was selected the winner of the International Integrated Pest Management Achievement awards, which are given to individuals or teams who have made significant contributions to the advancement of IPM, with at least one extraordinary achievement.

In 2008, he was a plenary speaker at the 23rd International Congress of Entomology. Prof. Khan received his PhD in entomology in 1980 from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India, and has served as a Principal Scientist at icipe from 1993. Since 2009, he has been a Visiting Professor of Entomology at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.

In 2013, he was appointed as Extra-Ordinary Professor of Life Sciences at North-West University in South Africa.

Before joining icipe, Prof. Khan worked at the International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, University of Wisconsin and Kansas State University, USA. He has published more than 110 refereed journal articles, 12 book chapters and 5 books, and supervised more than 40 PhD and MSc students from more than 12 countries. Issued by icipe. For further information contact: Director General, icipe. Tel +254 20 8632000, Email: icipe@icipe.org