Prof. Nirit Bernstein is a senior research scientist, Head of a Cannabis Physiology and Agronomy Lab, at Volcani Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Israel. Her research projects focus on cannabis physiology, and development of advanced cultivation techniques for Cannabis sativa. She has a Ph.D in Plant Physiology from the University of California, Davis USA, and a B.Sc. in Agricultural Sciences from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. She published more than 120 peer reviewed academic publications, invited reviews and book chapters; she is an associate editor of the ‘Journal of Cannabis research’, and ‘Crop Science’, and member of editorial boards of additional nine international scientific journals, and she teaches three graduate courses on ‘Mineral Nutrition’ and ‘Medical Cannabis’. She specializes in: regulation of plant derived pharmaceuticals in medicinal plants by manipulation of environmental and agronomic treatments; optimization of agrotechniques for environmentally stressed plants; mineral nutrition of plants, and plant stress physiology
In recognition of her innovative breakthrough research and applied contributions she was selected to serve in key roles in professional organizations and societies: She is the chair of the Hemp professional interest group of the American Society of Horticultural sciences (ASHS), past chair of a division in ‘Crop science society of America (CSSA); co-chair of the cannabis grower’s association of University of Colorado in Pueblo; and she served on and chaired many committees of international associations.
At the last few years she was awarded several international awards from international scientific societies, acknowledging her global leadership and contribution to cannabis plant science and Agronomy: ‘International Agronomy Award’ from the American Society of Agronomy (ASA); The ‘Outstanding International Horticulturist Award’ from the American Society for Horticultural Scientists (ASHS); The ‘Elsohly Award for Excellence in Cannabis Chemistry’ from the American Chemical Society (ACS); and a ‘Woman in Agriculture Award’ from the German Agricultural Society (DLG).
