Dr. Dirk Hays
Texas A&M AgriLife Research
dbhays@tamu.edu

Dirk Hays graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Biochemistry in 1991. He attended the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada where he completed his Ph.D. in Plant Physiology in 1997. He spent 5 years as a Research Plant Physiologist and Research Geneticist with the USDA,ARS in Stillwater, Oklahoma and Manhattan Kansas. He is currently an Associate Professor at Texas A&M University in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences where he has been employed since January 2002.

Dr Hays’ research program focuses on defining the molecular and biochemical basis for heat and drought tolerance in wheat and breeding new wheat cultivars adapted to Texas with improved resistance to these stresses. His research also focuses on using molecular plant breeding to optimize wheat and sorghum grains for food-use quality, improved nutrition, and biofuel conversion attributes. He has authored 1-patent, 22 peer-reviewed journal articles, 3 book chapters, and 30 invited presentations at scholarly meetings. Dr. Hays has been awarded $2.7 million dollars and research grants from US Department of Agriculture, USA-AID, US Department of Transportation, Texas commodity boards and private corporations during his tenure at Texas A&M. Dr. Hays serves as Chair for the Molecular and Environmental Plant Sciences Intercollegiate Faculty. He teaches a graduate course in plant physiology. Dr Hays has serves as major advisor for 13 current M.S. and Ph.D. students and has graduated 2 Ph.D. and 5 M.S. students during his tenure at Texas A&M. In 2010 Dr. Hays was awarded the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife, Vice Chancellors Award in Excellence for Diversity.