The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) honored Christopher Simmons, PhD, and his research team, with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Achievement Award for their work with biosolarization, a process that combines the sun’s heat with soil amendments to manage weeds and other soil-borne pests.
 
The IPM Achievement Award honors agricultural and nonagricultural California groups, organizations, companies, or schools for their achievements in IPM and reduced-risk pest management. 
 
Christopher Simmons, PhD, is the Director of Research and Outreach at the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (WCAHS) and a professor of food science and technology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis. His research focuses on food system sustainability with a focus on sustainable management of agricultural and food processing wastes. His biosolarization project is one of five core projects funded by WCAHS.