Los Baños, Laguna, The Philippines
October 13, 2000

Dr. Alberto Barrion, senior associate scientist of the Entomology and Plant Pathology Division (EPPD) of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) was named Outstanding Local Scientist for 2000 by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

Dr. Barrion will receive the award consisting of a plaque and a cash prize at the CGIAR Centers' Meeting in Washington, D.C., later this month.

The Outstanding Local Scientist Award is given to a locally recruited professional of any nationality, who has made an outstanding scientific contribution in any research field.

Dr. Barrion is recognized as one of the top entomologists in Asia. He is also an acclaimed araneologist, taxonomist, research scientist, and teacher/trainer.

As a scientist at IRRI, he led the development of illustrated, easy-to-use insect identification kits for rice pests and their natural enemies, which have now become an important tool for rice scientists, technicians, crop protection specialists, biodiversity researchers, ecologists, and integrated pest management (IPM) experts, as well as biology and zoology students. He has also made outstanding scientific and technological contributions to the fields of systematics and the biology of rice and rice-based arthropods, especially on insect pests and their natural enemies. Through his efforts, farmers, scientists, and the public now recognize the importance and benefits of friendly insects in rice fields. He also heads the Taxonomy Laboratory, is the curator of the Arthropod Reference Collection at IRRI, and is an adjunct curator of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Museum of Natural History.

Dr. Barrion's impressive contributions have benefited both national and international programs in areas such as IPM, biodiversity, and pest modeling. More importantly, his work provided crucial and accessible information to small and resource-poor farmers. His work on friendly insects has significantly contributed to the scientific framework for eco-rational pest management with naturally occurring and diverse communities of biocontrol agents that maintain and regulate rice insect pests and increase farm profits without the use of ecologically disruptive insecticides.

This multi awarded entomologist has also trained many scientists, crop protection researchers, and farmers from Asia, Africa, and South America, including such countries as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Egypt, Côte d'Ivoire, and Colombia. He has been especially active in sharing information and skills with young scientists both in his home country, the Philippines, and overseas.

His work is well documented in more than 150 publications (including 31 in refereed journals and 6 books, booklets, or book chapters, and 3 manuals).

"Dr. Barrion's work at IRRI has clearly had a significant impact on the CGIAR's goals in terms of rice research as he has not only achieved important breakthroughs in protecting the environment but also in improving the livelihoods of poor farmers and improving the capacity of the national agricultural research and extension systems," Dr. Ronald Cantrell, IRRI director general said.

Dr. Barrion holds a B.S. in agriculture (entomology), M.S. in systematic entomology, and Ph.D. in entomology from UPLB.

He was the recipient of the Ten Outstanding Young Men Award in 1990, Outstanding Young Scientist Award from the National Academy of Sciences & Technology (NAST) in 1991; L.B. Uichanco Memorial Award from the Philippine Association of Entomologists in 1993, Outstanding Publication Award from NAST in 1995, Outstanding Alumnus Award in Agricultural Science and Technology at UPLB in 1998, Pest Management Award from the Pest Management Council of the Philippines, and the President Estrada Special Citation Gawad Saka Award from the Department of Agriculture in 2000.

Dr. Barrion is also a member/officer of many professional organizations, which include, among others, the International Organization of Biological Control (Southeast Asia Group), American Arachnological Society, National Research Council of the Philippines, Weed Science Society of the Philippines, Philippine Association of Systematic Biologists, Biological Control Specialist Association of the Philippines, Philippine Association of Entomologists, Inc., Pest Control Council of the Philippines, UP Gamma Sigma Red Scorpions, Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society, IRRI Filipino Scientists Association, and the UP Entomological Society.

The CGIAR Chairman's Science Awards were established in 1996 to honor scientific excellence and achievements in several categories. Other awards given by the CGIAR are in the following categories: Outstanding Local Scientific Support Staff, Promising Young Scientist, Outstanding Scientific Partnership, and Outstanding Scientific Article.

In 1996, two IRRI staff received the CGIAR Science Awards: Dr. Shaobing Peng, crop physiologist for the Promising Young Scientist Award, and Dr. Thelma Paris, affiliate scientists/gender specialist, for the Outstanding Local Professional Award.

Company news release
N3307