2022 Standout Honors | Land, Life & Science

Many UTIA faculty are leaders in their fields and are known for producing outstanding quality in their research and academic programs, just as Extension members excel in outreach. We are pleased to highlight the honors that UT Institute of Agriculture individuals, departments, and teams received in 2022. Bestowed by peers in their profession, the recognitions attest to the world-class science, outreach, and service that drive UTIA’s Real. Life. Solutions.

AgResearch

Dean Hongwei Xin—Kishida International Award, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers

Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics

Professor Chris Boyer—Distinguished Professional Contribution Award, Southern Agricultural Economics Association
Professor and Blasingame Chair Andrew Muhammad—Patrick J. Byrne Emerging Leadership Award, Food Distribution Research Society
Assistant Professor Alicia Rihn—40 Under 40, Greenhouse Product News; Top Downloaded Article Award; Top Cited Article Award, Wiley
Professor and Assistant Department Head Margarita Velandia—President, Food Distribution Research Society

Department of Animal Science

Extension Specialist Aaron Fisher—Distinguished Service Award, National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals
Professor Jun Lin—Fellow, Conference of Research Workers in Animals Diseases
Assistant Professor Katie Mason—Tennessee Excellence in Animal Science Programming Award, National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals
Assistant Professor Daniel Mathew—Finalist in Rising Stars in Reproductive Biology Webinar Series, Society for the Study of Reproduction
Assistant Professor Troy Rowan—Editor’s Choice Manuscript, Applied Animal Science
Student Malerie Fancher—Emerging Scientist Competition (third place), American Forage and Grassland Council
Student Abby McCalmon—Graduate Student Teaching Award of Merit, North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture
Student Samantha Roberts—Doak Graduate Fellowship, National Association of Animal Breeders

Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science

Associate Professor Andrea Ludwig—Educational Aids Blue Ribbon Award, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
Assistant Professor Debasish Saha—Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award, Association of Agricultural Scientists of Indian Origin
Distinguished Lecturer Andrew Sherfy—Educator Award, North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture
Student Ekramul Ehite—Pharos of Alexandria Global Learning Award
Student Ravi Teja Neelipally—Hans Jenny Soil Field Trip Award, Soil Science Society of America

Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology

Professor Ernest Bernard—Fellow, Society of Nematologists
Professor Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes—Vice President, Society for Invertebrate Pathology
Professor and Assistant Department Head Bonnie Ownley—Fellow, American Phytopathological Society
Chancellor’s Professor Robert Trigiano—Fellow, American Horticultural Society
Student Corey Day—Science Policy Fellow, Entomological Society of America
Student Autumn McLaughlin—2022-2025 Fellow, Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research

Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

Professor Ann Berry—Epsilon Sigma Phi Distinguished Service Ruby Award
Extension Specialist Clint Cummings—Fellow, Workforce Development Extension Network
Associate Professor Karen Franck—Inaugural National Excellence in Extension Team Award

Department of Plant Sciences

Associate Professor Natalie Bumgarner—Educational Aids Blue Ribbon Award, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
Associate Professor Renata Nave Oakes—Outstanding Paper, Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management, Wiley
Professor Vince Pantalone—High yield and soybean cyst nematode resistant USDA soybean check variety, TN09-008; High yield USDA soybean check variety, TN11-5140; Highly cited author, Crop Science Society of America
Professor and Ivan Racheff Chair of Excellence Neal Stewart—Top 1,000 Scientists in the Area of Plant Science and Agronomy, Research.com
Program Administrator Derrick Stowell—Horticultural Therapy Award, American Horticultural Society
Student Devon Carroll—Award of Excellence, Musser International Turfgrass Foundation
Student Maureen Kahiu—First Place, C-5 Division Research oral presentation, American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America international annual meeting
Student Ben Pritchard—First Place, C-5 Division Research Poster, American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America- Soil Science Society of America international annual meeting; UT Knoxville Chancellor’s Award for Exceptional Professional Promise

School of Natural Resources

Professor Neelam Poudyal—Fulbright Scholar Award
Professor Adam Taylor—Grant in Health and Environmental Sciences, Fulbright-Saastamoinen Foundation

Extension

Dean Ashley Stokes—Appointed to the National Extension Committee on Policy, Budget and Legislative Committee
Assistant Dean Janet Fox—Appointed to the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Health and Human Sciences Board
Extension Agent Celeste Scott—Educational Aids Blue Ribbon Award, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers

UT College of Veterinary Medicine

Assistant Dean of Students ShaRonda Cooper—2022 Health Professionals Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award
Retired Director of Veterinary Nursing Janet Jones—Lifetime Achievement Award, Tennessee Veterinary Technician Association

Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences

Professor and Director of Laboratory Diagnostic Services Bente Flatland—2022 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology Service Award
Professor Emeritus Stephen Kania—Honorary Member of the Year, American College of Veterinary Microbiologists
Associate Professor Girish Neelakanta—2022 Innovation Challenge, American Type Culture Collection
Distinguished Professor Barry Rouse—Excellence in Research Award, American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges
Associate Professor Hameeda Sultana—Winner, 2022 Innovation Challenge, American Type Culture Collection
Student Tamara Roba—Merck Animal Health Diversity Leadership Scholarship

Comparative and Experimental Medicine Program

Student Alexandra Carlson—Surgeon-In-Training Award, Veterinary Orthopedic Society
Student Lufuno Phophi—American Society for Microbiology Future Leaders Mentoring Fellowship
Student and resident Nicole Szafranski—Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association Power of Ten Leadership Program
Student Anastasia Towe—Student Manuscript Award, Wildlife Disease Association and International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine; First Place, Graduate Manuscript Competition, American Association of Zoo Veterinarians

Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Professor Melissa Hines—Alumni Recognition Award, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Resident Rebecca Rifkin—Mark S. Bloomberg Memorial Resident Research Award, Veterinary Orthopedic Society
Director of the UT Veterinary Social Work Program Elizabeth Strand—Fellow of the Food Systems Leadership Institute
Professor Brian Whitlock—2022 Theriogenologist of the Year Award, American College of Theriogenologists

Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Resident Mariola Rak—Resident Research Award, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Institute Professor Karen Tobias and Professor Silke Hecht—Today’s Veterinary Practice Case Report Challenge
Student Myranda Gorman—Honorable Mention, 2022 Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Research Award for Veterinary Students