Rate My Professor Irwin Goldman

Irwin Goldman is a Professor in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, having joined the faculty in 1992. He holds a B.S. in Agricultural Science (1985) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an M.S. in Crop Science (1987) from North Carolina State University, and a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics (1991) from UW-Madison. Postdoctoral training included agronomy at the University of Illinois (1992) and a BARD Fellowship in plant genetics at Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1993). Progressing through the ranks, he became full professor in 2004. Goldman served in key administrative roles: Horticulture Department Chair (2011-2019), Interim Dean of CALS (2009-2010), Vice Dean (2006-2009), and others. Appointed the first Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Grower KWS Chair in 2025.

His research focuses on vegetable breeding and genetics for carrot, onion, and table beet, directing the Goldman Lab and the nation's only public table beet breeding program. Achievements include developing cultivars like Badger Flame Beet and numerous inbred lines used globally, with over 75 WARF licenses. Select publications: "The beet R locus encodes a new cytochrome P450 required for red betalain production" (Nature Genetics, 2012); "Freeing Crop Genetics through the Open Source Seed Initiative" (PLOS Biology, 2016); "History of public onion breeding programs in the United States" (Plant Breeding Reviews, 2000). Awards encompass ASHS Fellow, CALS Jung Teaching Award, ASHS Best Paper Awards, and USDA B.Y. Morrison Medal. Goldman teaches courses in vegetable crops, plant breeding, evolutionary biology, food sovereignty, and plants-human wellbeing, advising students. His contributions enhance crop resilience, nutrition, and flavor, benefiting producers and consumers worldwide.