Hikmet Budak received his PhD degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, in 2002. He worked as a Coordinator, and led the buffalograss genetics and breeding program at the same university, then returned to Turkey in 2004. In 2016, he returned to Montana State University, USA as Endowed Chair. Since 2019, he has worked as the Chief Science Officer at Montana BioAg. Inc., USA. He also serves as Adjunct Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA.