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Description area
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History
William Ray (Bill) Gibbons was born on January 5, 1958, in Winner, South Dakota, and grew up in Brookings, South Dakota. He graduated from Brookings High School in 1976 and attended South Dakota State University (SDSU) from 1980 to 1987. During his time at SDSU, he earned a B.S. in Microbiology and Chemistry in 1980, an M.S. in Microbiology in 1982, and a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Agronomy in 1987.
In 1987, Gibbons began his academic career as an Assistant Professor in the Biology and Microbiology Department at SDSU. He advanced to Associate Professor in 1991 and to Professor in 1997. His leader-ship roles at SDSU included serving as Associate Director of the Center for Bio-processing Research and Development, Director of the South Dakota Oilseed Initiative, and Interim Director of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. His research focused on applied microbiology and biotechnology, with an emphasis on using microbial processes to develop value-added products from biomass and agricultural materials. A central theme of his work was the development of sustainable fuels and chemicals to replace petroleum-based products.
Gibbons’ career has been marked by collaboration with regional universities, federal laboratories, and institutions such as the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, North Dakota State University, the University of Minnesota, and the USDA National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research. His dedication to integrating research with teaching ensured that his students benefited directly from his innovative and impactful projects.
Throughout his career, Gibbons received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to science, education, and research. He was recognized as the SDSU Microbiology Club Teacher of the Year in 1990 and became a Golden Key Honorary Member in 2003. In 2006, he was part of the team awarded the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences Dean’s Team Award for developing a Center for Excellence in Bio-processing. He was named the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences Distinguished Researcher of the Year in 2007 and was honored with the Gamma Sigma Delta Researcher of the Year award that same year. Additionally, he received the Pat and Jo Cannon Intellectual Property Commercialization Award in both 2011 and 2012 and was awarded the F.O. Butler Award for Excellence in Research in 2014.
Dr. Gibbons’ career stands as a testament to advancing renewable energy, sustainability, and agricultural innovation. His integration of teaching, research, and collaboration has left a lasting impact on the field of applied microbiology and biotechnology