Rate My Professor Ian Hall

Dr. Ian Hall serves as an Honorary Fellow at the National Poisons Centre within the University of Otago's Division of Health Sciences, where he provides expertise on mushroom and fungi poisonings. He earned his BSc (Hons) in 1970 and PhD in Botany in 1973, both from the University of Otago. Hall's career has centered on research into ectomycorrhizal fungi, with a particular emphasis on the cultivation of edible mushrooms. His pioneering efforts resulted in the establishment of the first artificial truffle plantations, or truffières, in the Southern Hemisphere in 1987 in New Zealand. He has acted as secretary and scientific advisor to the New Zealand Truffle Association and founded Truffles & Mushrooms (Consulting) Ltd in 2003 to advance the cultivation of edible ectomycorrhizal mushrooms. Internationally, Hall has offered consultancy on these topics in Israel, China, and Tibet, including work with the Tibetan Academy for Agriculture and Animal Science on macro-mushrooms, morels, and mycorrhizas in forestry.

Hall's contributions to mycology and agri-business have been recognized with the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in 2019 and the People's Republic of China Friendship Award in 2016, China's highest honor for foreign experts aiding economic and social progress. He has produced an extensive body of work, including books such as 'Taming the Truffle: The History, Lore, and Science of the Ultimate Mushroom' (2007), 'Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms of the World' (2003), and 'The Black Truffle: Its History, Uses and Cultivation' (2001). Notable publications also encompass 'A quarter century of truffle cultivation in New Zealand – successes and problems' (2008), 'Edible ectomycorrhizal mushrooms and their cultivation' (2006), and 'Counter-season production of truffles - from humble beginnings to an industry' (2013). His research has facilitated the growth of New Zealand's truffle industry, enhanced forestry practices through mycorrhizal applications, and supported global advancements in edible mushroom production.