By Scout Nelson
Patricio Grassini, a professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, was named a 2025 Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy. This honor is awarded to only 0.3% of members, making it the highest recognition within the society. Grassini joined this select group in November 2025, reflecting his strong contributions to agricultural research and education.
“It's a mix of curiosity, hard work and passion that took me here,” Grassini said. “This is kind of a consequence of all that.”
Grassini was nominated by Kenneth Cassman, an emeritus professor in the same department. Although he has been a member of the society since 2007, Grassini said he never expected his work to receive such recognition. He credits his success to patience, dedication, and a genuine passion for his field.
“I never think about awards or papers or anything,” Grassini said. “I always put a lot of patience in what I'm doing and I'm very lucky because every day I have to wake up to work on something that I like, you know, and that's the best thing that can ever happen to someone.”
Grassini’s interest in plants began early in life and guided his decision to study agronomy. He chose this field because it combines scientific research with real-world impact. His work helps farmers make better decisions that improve productivity and environmental outcomes.
“That took me to agronomy because yes, you are doing research for the sake of pushing the boundary of knowledge, but also, you're pushed to make concrete decisions all the time,” he said. “Especially when you're talking with a farmer, all this basic knowledge needs to translate into a better decision, something that will have an impact on the pocket of the farmer that you work with or have a positive outcome in terms of productivity or environmental performance.”
With nearly 20 years of experience, Grassini values the challenges of agronomy. He continues to learn through research and collaboration with students and colleagues.
“Every day there are new questions, and every time you discover something new, there are more questions to answer,” Grassini said. “I guess that process really motivated me to become an agronomist, and that's what motivates me every morning to wake up and come here.”
Grassini leads global and local research projects, including the Global Yield Gap Atlas, which studies crop productivity and nutrient needs worldwide. He also conducts field experiments in Nebraska to help farmers improve yields and efficiency.
“It's good to conduct kind of top-down research, but it’s also very important that you keep a foot on the ground and keep doing research that is directly connected with farmers' realities so that you don't fly too high or get disconnected from reality,” Grassini said.
Photo Credit: university-nebraska-lincoln
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Education