The annual Borlaug Memorial Lecture commemorates the contributions University of Minnesota alumnus Dr. Norman Borlaug made to fighting world hunger and celebrates those who follow in Dr. Borlaug's footsteps.
The 20th Annual Borlaug Memorial Lecture will be held on Monday, October 19, 2026 at 3:30 PM CT on the University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus.
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News
Announcing the 2026 Borlaug Memorial Lecture Keynote Speaker
Dr. Derek Barchenger, Senior Scientist and Head of the Global Pepper Breeding Program at the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg), will present the 2026 Borlaug Memorial Lecture at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Barchenger was recognized with the Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application in 2025 for advancing pepper breeding to enhance nutrition, productivity and climate adaptability for hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers worldwide.
Prabin Bajgain selected as the 2026 Emerging Leader in Plant Sciences
The 2026 Borlaug Memorial Lecture Planning Committee is excited to announce that Dr. Prabin Bajgain has been selected as this year's Emerging Leader in Plant Sciences (ELIPS). Dr Bajgain is a 2014 graduate with a PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics and a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Save the Date! Attend the 20th annual Borlaug Memorial Lecture on October 19
The 2026 Norman Borlaug Memorial Lecture will be held on Monday, October 19 at 3:30 pm. The keynote speaker and recipient of the 2026 Emerging Leader in Plant Science will be announced soon.