Inventor of the Year 2025

Kelly Dawe, Distinguished Research Professor and UGA Athletic Association Professor in the Franklin College departments of Plant Biology and Genetics, has revolutionized maize breeding through a novel haploid induction system. His patented technology enables the efficient production of haploid maize plants—plants with a single set of chromosomes instead of the usual two—allowing breeders to develop pure, genetically stable crop lines in half the time of traditional methods. This innovation dramatically enhances the precision and speed of plant breeding, with significant implications for global agriculture. An international agricultural company licensed Dawe’s technology for worldwide use, integrating it into high-efficiency crop improvement programs. In collaboration with this company, Dawe and the UGA Research Foundation have filed 24 utility patent applications internationally, with one issued to date. Since the exclusive license agreement was signed in 2021, the technology has generated nearly $1.5 million in licensing revenue. Dawe’s work exemplifies the transformative impact of molecular genetics on commercial agriculture and food security.