Now in its 12th year, the Hall of Fame program honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Cotton Research and Promotion Program or to the cotton industry as a whole. Established in 1966, the Cotton Research and Promotion Program works to expand the demand for Upland cotton and increase profitability for both cotton growers and importers of cotton products.

“Dr. Dever’s impact on the cotton industry has been extraordinary,” said William Kimbrell, president and chief executive office of Cotton Incorporated. “Her leadership in cotton breeding, her commitment to advancing fiber quality, and her dedication to training the next generation of scientists have strengthened the competitiveness of U.S. cotton for decades to come. We are proud to celebrate her remarkable achievements and lifelong service to the industry.”

Dr. Dever’s more than 40-year career spans influential roles across both public and private sectors of the cotton industry. She currently serves as the director of the Pee Dee Research and Education Center at Clemson University, where she is also a professor in the department of Plant and Environmental Sciences. Prior to her time at Clemson University, she served as associate director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Lubbock Research and Extension Center and was a professor of plant breeding in the department of Soil and Crop Sciences.

Dr. Dever is an American Society of Agronomy Fellow, a Texas A&M Regents Service Fellow, and a recipient of the Cotton Genetics Research Award. She has served on federal advisory councils for both National Genetic Resources and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, helping to guide national priorities in crop improvement and genetic resource conservation.

Her prior roles include serving as global cotton breeding manager for Bayer CropScience; senior research scientist at the cotton-biotechnology firm Biotex; textile engineer at Plains Cotton Cooperative Association; and head of materials evaluation for the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute at Texas Tech University.

A native of Lubbock, Texas, Dr. Dever grew up on a cotton, wheat, and grain sorghum farm. She holds a B.S. in Textile Engineering, a M.S. in Crop Science, and a Ph.D. in Agronomy from Texas Tech University.

In the Cotton Research and Promotion Hall of Fame, Dr. Dever joins an esteemed group of leaders recognized for advancing cotton science, sustainability, production, and market competitiveness. Her induction reflects a lifetime of service and innovation that has strengthened the future of the U.S. cotton industry.