Rice Joins Department Faculty as Assistant Professor

Feb 08, 2024

By Fran tenBensel Benne

Brian Rice began Jan. 1 as an assistant professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. He has a 70% research and a 30% teaching appointment.

Rice is working with plant breeding programs in the United States and abroad to develop strategies that enable genetic gain with simultaneous trait discovery. He hopes to eventually work with agronomy and horticulture department programs, including Katherine Frels’ small grains breeding and George Graef’s soybean breeding.

Internationally, he collaborates with a plant breeding program in Haiti at Quisqueya University. A Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant funds Rice to collaborate with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and National Agricultural Research Systems network in Africa.

“By beneficially affecting agriculture, we can positively affect people’s lives,” Rice said. “This is particularly true in parts of the world where most farming is done in smallholder farming systems.”

He is also preparing to teach a Quantitative Genetics class in the fall or spring semester.

Growing up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Rice became interested in plant genetics because he understood how integral agriculture is to society. At the age of 20, he moved to the United States to start college at Purdue University.

Rice earned a Bachelor of Science in plant genetics, breeding, and biotechnology from Purdue University and a Master of Science and a doctorate in quantitative genetics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Before coming to Nebraska, he was a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Geoff Morris at Colorado State University.

Rice feels Nebraska has a reputation for outstanding research in plant genetics, and he said the decision to accept an offer from UNL was easy. “The agronomy and horticulture department showed commitment to helping me succeed in this position,” he said.

Rice said he enjoys Lincoln’s classic, college-town vibe with its mix of university culture and local pride. “I look forward to visiting the local breweries and restaurants as well as all the local museums,” he said.

In his free time, he likes to play and follow rugby and Jiu-Jitsu. He owns two American Pit Bull Terriers that keep him busy.

Source : unl.edu

Video: Independent Seed, National Impact | On The Brink: Episode 9

A survey of 200 independent seed businesses reveals what Canada's seed sector actually contributes — and what it stands to lose.

On the Brink, Justin Funk, a third-generation agri-marketer, shares the findings of a national survey conducted in early 2026. The numbers reframe the conversation: independent seed companies in Canada represent upwards of $1.7 billion in dedicated seed infrastructure, approximately 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs in rural communities, and an estimated $20 million in annual community contributions. And roughly 90% of Canada's cereals, pulses, and other small pollinated crops flow through them.

The survey also asked how dependent these businesses are on public plant breeding to survive. The answer was unambiguous. For policymakers evaluating the future of publicly funded breeding programs, Funk argues the economic case for this sector and the case for public plant breeding are the same argument.

On the Brink is a cross-country video series exploring the future of plant breeding in Canada. Each episode features voices from across the industry in an open, ongoing conversation about innovation and long-term investment in Canadian agriculture.