Boving, Paul Axel

1874-1947

Paul Boving, the first head of the University of British Columbia's Department of Agronomy, was born and educated in Sweden where he received his agricultural degree in 1899. He came to Canada in 1910 and joined Macdonald College, where he remained until 1916, when he became the third member of the Faculty of Agriculture at UBC. In 1919, he became head of the newly-created Department of Agronomy and served in this capacity until ill-health forced him to relinquish the position in 1929. Boving remained with the department until his retirement a decade later. He made unique contributions in the fields of genetics and plant breeding and developed improved strains in several root crops, most notably in alfalfa crosses. Boving was also responsible for suggesting the construction of the Cairn to commemorate the AMS Campaign of 1922-1923. He never lost his passion for Scandinavian culture and gave many lectures on the topic.