News
AWC Agriculture Director Hikmet Budak appointed to editorial board of prestigious journal
April 16, 2026Yuma, Ariz. (April 16, 2026) – Dr. Hikmet Budak, Director of Agriculture at Arizona Western College (AWC), has been invited to join the editorial board of in silico Plants, a widely respected open-access journal from Oxford University Press that is focused on computational plant biology.
A renowned geneticist and genomicist, Dr. Budak will oversee the Genetics and Genomics section. In this role, he will manage the peer-review process to ensure all submissions meet rigorous scholarly standards. He will also hold final decision-making authority on publications.
Dr. Budak sees the role as a bridge between complex research and the public. “I believe that being an editor is about understanding science and scientists, and acting as a facilitator between the author and the audience,” he said. While acknowledging the workload, he noted the benefits for the institution: “This editorship furthers the field while significantly increasing the visibility of AWC Agriculture.”
“Dr. Budak’s appointment as an editor of in silico Plants is a remarkable recognition of his leadership and contributions to advancing plant science through innovation and interdisciplinary research,” said Dr. Reetika Dhawan, Chief Executive Officer of Entrepreneurial College & Vice President of Workforce & Healthcare Programs. “His work exemplifies the kind of forward-thinking scholarship that is shaping the future of agriculture and biotechnology. We are incredibly proud to see his expertise recognized at an international level, and we look forward to the continued impact of his leadership in this field.”
In addition to this new role, Dr. Budak continues to serve as an associate editor for BMC Genomics and sits on the editorial board for PLOS ONE.
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Contact:
Dr. Hikmet Budak
Director of Agriculture Programs
Arizona Western College
hikmet.budak1@azwestern.edu
(928) 344-7742