James S. Quick
Degrees Awarded
- B.S. Agronomy, North Dakota State University (NDSU) – 1962
- M.S. Plant Breeding and Genetics, Purdue University – 1965
- Ph.D. Plant Breeding and Genetics, Purdue University – 1966
- Years at CSU – 1981-2003
Awards and Recognition
- Durum Industry Achievement Award, U.S. Durum Growers Association, 1976
- Member, US-USSR Spring-Wheat Visit Team, 1976
- Sabbatical Leave, Plant Breeding Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1977-1978
- Fellow, American Society of Agronomy, 1985
- Fellow, Crop Science Society of America, 1986
- Shepardson Instruction Development Grant Award, CSU, 1985
- Distinguished Toastmaster Award, Toastmasters International
- Australian Wheat Research Council Grant Award, 1987
- Faculty Certificate of Merit, Gamma Sigma Delta Award, 1987
- Honor Society of Agriculture, CSU, 1989
- USDA NCISE-IARC Award for Study at CIMMYT, Mexico, 1995
- Agronomic Achievement Award, crops, American Society of Agronomy, 1996
- Agronomic Research Award, American Society of Agronomy, 2002
Jim Quick has distinguished himself in the field of plant breeding and genetics for the past 40 years. He grew up on a North Dakota farm that produced crops and livestock. His interest in plant breeding began with 4-H crops projects and continued through his undergraduate experience with the wheat genetics project at NDSU and the USDA. Upon completion of his Ph.D., he served in India with the Rockefeller Foundation in sorghum research for three years and then returned to NDSU as Associate Professor. He made significant research contributions in durum wheat breeding and methodology during his 12-year tenure there.
In 1981 Jim Quick joined Colorado State University as a Professor and Leader of the Wheat Investigations project. In the next 23 years he made significant contributions in several areas: hard red winter wheat breeding and improved methodology, and herbicide tolerance. Jim and his associates released more than 30 new wheat cultivars and several improved germplasm lines. He is especially proud to have served as major professor for 23 Ph.D. and M.S. candidates at NDSU and CSU. He also served the Crop Science Society of America including a term of Associate Editor of Crop Science. He was the Editor of the Annual Wheat Newsletter from 1983 to 1994. Jim also had considerable research experiences in India, Morocco, Mexico, and other countries.
Dr. Quick served as the Soil and Crop Sciences Department Head from 1996 to 2003. Under his leadership a major renovation of the Plant Science building was completed as well as renovations in Shepardson Hall to accommodate the Colorado Seed Laboratory and the Colorado Seed Growers Association.
Since retirement from CSU in 2003, Jim has been employed as a consultant/durum wheat breeder for the Dakota Growers Pasta Company, and has helped developed two new cultivars.
Jim is an avid skier and world traveler. His weekly adventure to the ski slopes has a definite priority in the winter months!