Chance Riggins

Chance Riggins is a Research Assistant Professor at the Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois (2014–present), and Curator of the Crop Evolution Lab Herbarium (2014–present). He also serves as a Faculty Affiliate in the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (2016–present) and was a Postdoctoral Research Associate (2009–2013) at the same university.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Plant Systematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2008)
• M.S. in Phytochemistry from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (2001)
• B.S. in Forestry/Wildlife Management from Stephen F. Austin State University (1995)

Research Interests include adaptive evolution in agricultural weeds, crop-wild relative diversity, industrial hemp applications, plant systematics, economic botany, and the evolution of plant secondary compounds. His work also focuses on the biocultural curation of plant diversity and microbial responses to agricultural practices like nitrogen fertilization.

Recent Publications highlight studies on herbicide resistance mechanisms (EPSPS gene amplification), soil microbial ecology under long-term nitrogen management, and the genetic and ecological dynamics of invasive weeds like Amaranthus palmeri. His research intersects plant science, agricultural sustainability, and microbial ecology.

Scientific Awards

• Outstanding Paper in Weed Science, WSSA Annual Meeting (2012)
• John R. Laughnan Award, UIUC Plant Biology Dept. (2006)
• Herbert H. Ross Memorial Award, Illinois Natural History Survey (2003)
• American Institute of Chemists Graduate Student Award (2001)

Herbarium Curation involves maintaining the Crop Evolution Lab Herbarium, which documents agricultural biodiversity, genetic diversity of crop-wild relatives, and allied biocultural knowledge. His grants and collaborations address herbicide resistance, soil health, and crop diversity.