Hugo Homer Rogers was born on August 2, 1947, in Perdido, Alabama. Rogers earned a B.S. degree in Botany in 1969 and a master's degree in Plant Physiology in 1971, both from Auburn University. While at Auburn he cofounded the Auburn chapter of FarmHouse. He earned a PhD in environmental science and engineering from the University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill in 1975. He then began a long career working at the USDA on a variety of agricultural and environmental programs, including a long stint at the National Soil Dynamics Laboratory at Auburn University. During his long career he authored or coauthored more than 200 publications, served on the Donald E. Davis Arboretum Committee for 20 years, and earned numerous awards and accolades from the scientific community. Rogers died on July 20th, 2022.