Dr. Norman E. Borlaug (1914-2009), Nobel Peace Prize winner, Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal recipient, agricultural scientist, and professor at Texas A&M University died on Saturday September 12th at the age of 95.  He continued to devote himself to issues of poverty reduction and global hunger until the end. He is preceded in death by his wife Margaret.  Borlaug is survived by his daughter Jeanie Borlaug Laube, his son William Gibson Borlaug, and five grandchildren.   A public memorial service will be held on October 6th at Texas A&M University in College Station Texas.

The Borlaug LEAP is a fellowship program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to enhance the quality of thesis research of graduate students from developing countries who show strong promise as leaders in the field of agriculture and related disciplines as defined by Title XII. LEAP is part of the overall Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellows Program sponsored by the USDA.

The LEAP program supports engaging a mentor at a Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) system center to support and enhance the thesis research and mentoring experience. Awards are made on a competitive basis to students who show strong scientific and leadership potential, have a well coordinated proposal between their home university, a US university mentor, and the CGIAR mentor, and whose research is related to a strong research and support project within the host country. Emphasis is placed on work that has relevance to the national development of the student's home country. 

All awards have been distributed for 2009 and we are not accepting applications at this time.  Future Requests for Applications and application forms will be posted at a later date in 2010.