A scientist with The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation was named Oklahoma Scientist of the Year today by the Oklahoma Academy of Science (OAS).

Richard A Dixon, D. Phil., Senior Vice President, was selected to receive the state's highest scientific honor for his pioneering work in plant metabolism and his 20 years of leadership as Director of the Noble Foundation's Plant Biology Division.

"I'm truly honored to be recognized by my peers in Oklahoma," Dixon said. "I have had the great privilege of working with some of today's brightest scientific minds during the last two decades at the Noble Foundation."

Dixon, who will receive the honor at the Annual Technical Meeting of the OAS on Oct. 31 at Southern Nazarene University, has played a pivotal role in leading the Noble Foundation's scientific programs to international prominence. The Noble Foundation has become a highly sought-after destination for postdoctoral fellows, who travel from around the world to study at the institution's Ardmore campus.

"Richard Dixon's efforts, innovations and exceptional scientific mind make him one of the best plant scientists in the world," said Michael A. Cawley, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Noble Foundation. "His leadership and vision have helped develop and sustain our Plant Biology Division, and his mentorship has sparked the careers of countless scientists in this country and many others. I speak for the entire Noble Foundation in congratulating him on this award."

The Oklahoma Academy of Science is devoted to furthering understanding and appreciation of science in the Sooner State. The Oklahoma Scientist of the Year award honors outstanding achievement by a state scientist. Dixon has been widely recognized as a leading authority on flavonoids/isoflavonoids, condensed tannins and the plant (cell wall) polymer lignin.

"Dr. Dixon and his research team have given scientists an excellent understanding of the complexity of phenylpropanoid compounds, such as flavonoids/isoflavonoids, condensed tannins and lignin, and how plants make them," said Ulrich Melcher, President of the Oklahoma Academy of Science. "This basic research, including the use of genomics, molecular biology, genetics and enzymology, leads to metabolic engineering which may improve the agronomic value of crops and produce compounds for industrial and medicinal uses."

Dixon is currently an author of more than 360 scientific papers. The Institute for Scientific Information recognized the significance and scientific merit of these publications in 2002, naming Dixon as one of the 15 most cited authors in the plant and animal sciences worldwide.

In May 2007, Dixon was elected to membership of the National Academy of Sciences. He was the first Noble Foundation faculty member to be elected to the Academy and becomes only the second active Academy member in Oklahoma.

In addition to many honors and professional awards, Oxford University, United Kingdom (UK), awarded Dixon a Doctor of Science degree in recognition of his research achievements. Dixon is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He further serves on the editorial boards of four international journals and maintains adjunct faculty appointments at the University of Texas-Austin, Rice University and the University of Oklahoma.

Dixon began his employment with the Noble Foundation as the founding director of the then newly created Plant Biology Division in 1988. He earned his bachelor's and doctoral degrees in biochemistry and botany at Oxford University (UK), and received his postdoctoral training at Cambridge University (UK).

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News Release Issued: October 20, 2008

For media inquiries concerning the Noble Foundation, please contact J. Adam Calaway, Director of Public Relations, at 580.224.6209 or by email at jacalaway@noble.org.

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc. (www.noble.org), headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a nonprofit organization conducting agricultural, forage improvement and plant biology research; assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs; and providing grants to nonprofit charitable, educational and health organizations.