Robert T. Fraley

The Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has selected Robert T. Fraley as the winner of the 2009 Biotechnology Heritage Award. The award was presented during BIO’s annual international convention, held in Atlanta from 18-21 May 2009.

Robert T. Fraley is executive vice president and chief technology officer of Monsanto Company. Involved in agricultural biotechnology since the early 1980s, Fraley has held several positions at Monsanto over the last 25 years, ranging from senior research specialist in the Monsanto Biological Sciences Program to copresident of the company’s Agricultural Sector. He currently oversees integrated crop and seed agribusiness technology and research with facilities in almost every area of the world.

Fraley has authored more than 100 publications and patent applications relating to technical advances in agricultural biotechnology, and he serves on the editorial boards of several scientific journals. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a past member of the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Advisory Committee and the National Institutes of Health’s Molecular Cytology Study Section. Fraley also advises numerous government and public agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, and the National Academy of Sciences.

In 2008 Fraley received the National Academy of Sciences Award for the Industrial Application of Science for his work on the improvement of crops through biotechnology. His many other honors include the National Medal of Technology, the National Award for Agricultural Excellence in Science, and the Kenneth A. Spencer Award for Outstanding Achievement in Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Fraley earned a Ph.D. in microbiology and biochemistry and a bachelor’s degree, both from the University of Illinois, and was a fellow at the University of California, San Francisco.

About the Biotechnology Heritage Award
The Biotechnology Heritage Award is presented yearly at a special ceremony during the BIO Annual International Convention to honor individuals who have contributed significantly to the growth of biotechnology through discovery, innovation, commercialization,
and/or public understanding. In honoring these individuals, the Chemical Heritage Foundation and the Biotechnology Industry Organization seek to encourage emulation, inspire achievement,
and promote public understanding of modern science, industry, and economics in this rapid-growth area.

The cosponsorship of the award complements the mission of both organizations by advancing their mutual goals of educating the public, nourishing a sense of pride and community within the industry, and developing the record of the remarkable contributions the molecular sciences make to our lives.

About the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers, and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health-care, agricultural, industrial, and environmental biotechnology products.

About the Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF)
The Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) fosters an understanding of chemistry’s impact on society. An independent nonprofit organization, we strive to

• Inspire a passion for chemistry;
• Highlight chemistry’s role in meeting current social challenges; and
• Preserve the story of chemistry across centuries.

CHF maintains major collections of instruments, fine art, photographs, papers, and books. We host conferences and lectures, support research, offer fellowships, and produce educational materials. Our museum and public programs explore subjects ranging from alchemy to nanotechnology.