Yi Li
Professor, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, UConn
Elected to the Academy in 2024
Education
Beijing Forestry College (now Beijing Forestry University), 1982, BS, Forestry; State University of New York (Syracuse), 1989, PhD, Plant Physiology & Biochemistry
Professional Area(s)
Plant hormone biology, horticultural plant biotechnology, and breeding
Citation
Internationally recognized for elucidating a key precursor in ABA biosynthesis, pioneering in-situ auxin molecular assays, and developing numerous well-known plant biotechnologies. Breeding of non-invasive burning bush, a $40-70 million/year crop, and “climate-smart, low-maintenance” lawn grasses requiring only three annual mowings in Connecticut, eliminating the need for fertilizer applications.