- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Li received the award at the society's recent meeting in Washington, D.C. The award, sponsored by the BASF Corporation, is presented annually by the ACS Division of Agrochemicals “for innovation in Chemistry of Agriculture for original research emphasizing proteomics, functional foods, food safety, pesticide analysis and chemistry and environmental fate of agrochemicals.”
“I am truly honored,” said Li, a professor in the University of Hawaii's Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.
At UC Davis from 1986-1990, he studied under the guidance of Bruce Hammock, distinguished professor of entomology, who holds a joint appointment with the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology and the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center; and James Seiber, now professor emeritus, UC Davis Department of Environmental Toxicology. Li's doctoral dissertation research focused on the development of immunoassays for agrochemicals.
“Qing is a wonderful scientist,” Hammock said, "and this award is so well deserved." Li centers his research on agrochemicals. His research has resulted in more than 300 peer-reviewed scientific publications. His papers have been cited more than 6000 times. He has mentored 18 masters' students, 20 PhD students, 27 post-doctoral fellows and 20 researchers. In addition, he has hosted 32 visiting research scholars. Since 2015, Li has served as an associate editor of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
After leaving UC Davis in 1990, Li completed his post-doctoral training under the guidance of Professor John Casida at UC Berkeley and then joined the faculty of the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in 1995. He advanced to professor in 2002. Li directed the pesticide residue chemistry laboratory there from 1995 to 2013. Since 2011, he has directed the UH proteomics core facility.
"We're really proud of him," Hammock said.
Highly honored by ACS, Hammock was the first-ever recipient (1992) of the prestigious International Award for Research in Agrochemicals, sponsored by ACS. Two of his former students also received the award: Thomas Sparks in 2012 and Keith Wing in 2014.