February 8, 2012
The Academic Council of the University of Forestry in Sofia, Bulgaria, has awarded Dr. Thomas Popp an honorary doctorate for his exceptional work and contribution to the development of agricultural sciences.
As advisor in the department of Applied Research and Advisory Service Agro of K+S KALI GmbH in Kassel, Dr. Popp is responsible for the Central and Eastern Europe region. His particular focus is practice-related field testing and the transfer of research findings to farmers.
Since 2002 Dr. Popp has been working together with Prof. Dr. Margarita T. Nikolova of the Faculty of Agronomy of the University of Forestry in Sofia on extensive projects relating to balanced fertilisation in Bulgaria. Dr. Popp was thus able to intensify the long-standing cooperation between K+S KALI GmbH and the University of Forestry in Sofia.
At a formal ceremony, the Rector of the University of Forestry, Prof. Dr. Vesselin S. Brezin, awarded Dr. Thomas Popp the title “Doctor Honoris Causa” (an honorary doctorate) at the end of January. “The distinction is a great and, above all, unexpected honour for me”, said Dr. Popp at the ceremony. “I am, of course, pleased that my activities for Bulgarian agriculture are being recognised in such a way.”
Dr. Dr. h.c. Thomas Popp and Rector Prof. Dr. Vesselin S. Brezin at the award ceremony
The Rector praised Dr. Popp's involvement in conducting field trials and in his participation in numerous seminars for farmers in Bulgaria. Additionally, Dr. Popp has made a decisive contribution to the development and implementation of the research programme “Best Management Practices for Sustainable Crop Nutrition in Bulgaria”, a research project lasting several years begun in 2008 under the auspices of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI).
Dr. Thomas Popp was born in Stuttgart on 22 September 1951 and studied agricultural science at the University of Hohenheim. After obtaining his doctorate at the TU München-Weihenstephan, he moved to the agricultural industry and, as an agricultural consultant, looked after the markets in South East Asia and the Pacific region. Since 2002, Dr. Popp has been with K+S KALI GmbH. The key focus of his research and consulting is the needs-based supply of vine and fruit with potassium and magnesium.
Globally K+S KALI GmbH has a network of about 30 agronomists, who assist farmers in all regions of the world with advice. In up to 250 field tests around the world, we, together with our cooperation partners from science and research, work out new insights into optimal plant nutrition, taking into consideration economic and ecological factors.
To the University of Forestry, Sofia
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