Carver named Big 12 Faculty Member of the Year
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Media Contact: Gail Ellis | Editorial Communications Coordinator | 405-744-9152 | gail.ellis@okstate.edu
Brett Carver, regents professor and wheat genetics chair in the Oklahoma State University Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, was named a Big 12 Faculty of the Year Award winner in 2024.
Carver was among the first-ever group of 16 faculty honored by the Big 12 Conference for excellence in campus innovation and research. He was nominated by OSU, Big 12 faculty athletic representatives, provosts and other university leaders.
A recent recipient of OSU’s Eminent Faculty Award, Carver is a pioneer in wheat genetic research and hybridization. He leads the OSU Wheat Improvement Team in developing wheat varieties known worldwide for reliable disease and pest resistance, drought tolerance, exceptional yield and health benefits for consumers.
“Dr. Carver's dedication, innovative research and award-winning teaching in wheat breeding have significantly advanced our agricultural capabilities,” said Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture. “His work strengthens Oklahoma's wheat industry and sets a benchmark for excellence in agricultural science worldwide. We are incredibly proud of his achievements and the recognition he has received as a Big 12 Faculty Member of the Year.”
Carver’s research to develop high-performing wheat for producers emphasizes the OSU Wheat Improvement Team’s value in the wheat industry. He joined the OSU faculty in 1985 to focus on teaching and research in genetics and wheat germplasm development. He was named the Wheat Improvement Team’s director in 1998, and under Carver’s leadership, OSU wheat varieties have ranked in the top seven varieties planted in Oklahoma for the past 10 years.
His international work includes collaborating with colleagues in Eastern Europe to develop wheat varieties adaptive to climate shifts and resistant to pests and disease. Carver has also worked on wheat advocacy projects with the Wheat Foods Council and served on trade team delegations for the U.S. Wheat Associates organization and the Oklahoma Wheat Commission. He is also a fellow in the Crop Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy. In addition to involvement in several patents, trademarks and grants in the wheat industry, Carver makes time to mentor graduate students seeking professions in crop science.
“I feel deeply honored to receive this inaugural award on behalf of OSU and the Big 12 Conference and privileged to serve Oklahoma agriculture throughout my career,” Carver said. “I take pride in giving our undergraduate and graduate students a front-row seat in the real-world classroom of a land-grant university where they can experience plant breeding innovation firsthand.”