A COMMUNITY of SCHOLARS HONORING EXCELLENCE 2018 2018 Food and Agricultural Sciences Excellence in College and University Awards Program A COMMUNITY of SCHOLARS HONORING EXCELLENCE INTRODUCTION 2018 has been an outstanding efficiently through precision year for American agriculture agriculture, robotics, and the and the academic institutions use of big data, are expanding that are part of the Association farm and ranch profitability. of Public and Land-Grant Our resulting technologically University system, including superior food and agriculture the family of land-grant sector continues to be one of universities, non-land grant the economic engines that agriculture, and resource- drive our rural economy. related universities. The integrated nature of our research, education, and Being new to NIFA, I can extension system, as well as tell you that our Education its ability to collaborate and Multicultural Alliances directly with other public, THOMAS SHANOWER portfolio was one of the private, and not-for-profit Acting Director, National impressive discoveries for me Institute of Food and Agriculture actors is an important driver as I learned about the agency. of this success. Last year, these programs and abilities. The Experiment trained 1,100 undergraduate, Today we recognize the Station Section leadership 950 graduate, and 400 extraordinary efforts and diversity awards recognize postdoctoral researchers, but of educators, teachers, those that have advanced these numbers touch only a researchers, leaders, and the vision of the land-grant fraction of the nearly 60,000 extension professionals innovation and discovery high-skilled job openings whose science-based work ideal with excellence and expected each year through creates a tremendous inclusiveness. Finally, the 2020. Your students will be positive impact by helping Multistate Research Award the ones who will produce the their clientele seize the recognizes the collaborative knowledge in our laboratories, opportunities and overcome efforts of state Agricultural translate it into useful the challenges they face Experiment Stations working information, and serve as the through advanced technology. together to address critical, high tech agricultural workers regional needs. These awards The Excellence in College and needed in the future. honor outstanding recipients University Teaching Awards who have made exceptional Our partnership plays an recognize university faculty scholarly contributions. These important role in rural for engaging and preparing awards also recognize the prosperity. Together we students for the future. The educational, extension, and advance the innovations that Excellence in Extension research system that has long play a key role in our nation’s Awards recognize individuals been—and will continue to economic development. committed to programs be—critical to the success of Consumers in this country in lifelong learning and our great nation. and around the world are contributions to improving enjoying superior American- communities. The National Our congratulations to every grown-and-produced products Extension Diversity Award member of the family of because of the progress made acknowledges outstanding land-grant, non-land grant possible by biotechnology, efforts and accomplishments agriculture, and resource- nanotechnology, and other within the Cooperative related universities, and to areas of science. These Extension Service to enable the award winners being products, produced more and sustain diverse cultures recognized today. 2 APLU PRESIDENT’S LETTER istilled down of the Food and Agriculture to its essence, Excellence Awards. They Dhigher education have distinguished themselves is a network of people and in a field of men and women ideas in exchange with who work tirelessly to society at large. Seen in this improve the world through light, educators serve as their research, instruction, and the connection binding the community engagement. higher education community This year’s winners are together. These remarkable the very embodiment of individuals deserve to be excellence. As we continue recognized for the tremendous to usher in an era of rapid contributions they make to societal and technological their institutions every day. change, the individuals at Less tangible but no less the core of our universities valuable are the contributions promise to help shape a scholars make to society. future that is better than our PETER MCPHERSON They inspire curiosity in present or past. This is made President, APLU their students, spark possible only through their creativity through their uncompromising dedication research, and propel the to excellence and their world forward through unrelenting commitment to service to their communities. improving our shared destiny. I warmly congratulate this As president of the year’s winners and extend Association of Public and our sincere gratitude for Land-grant Universities, I their unwavering commitment commend the 2018 recipients to excellence. 3 Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. NELSON MANDELA NATIONAL TEACHING AWARDS 2018 STEVEN M. LONERGAN Professor and Director of Graduate Education Animal Science Iowa State University professor and director of graduate education in Iowa State University’s (ISU) Animal Science Department, A Steven Lonergan has taught eight different courses and more than 3,200 students over the course of 40 semesters. Lonergan understands that ISU’s motto “Science with Practice” means creating opportunities for students to apply technical expertise, and that while an academic foundation is absolutely critical, internships and study abroad opportunities provide real-life experiences that develop active, engaged, life-long learners. He has provided these kinds of experiences as an instructor, advisor, researcher, and mentor and through service to international professional societies. Lonergan has been recognized for outstanding achievement in teaching by his college, university, and international professional societies. He is a trusted and valued academic advisor and supporter of student professional and social organizations. He was the recipient of the ISU Wilbur Layton Award for student service in 2015 and the inaugural Claude B. Hutchison Award for Meritorious Service for FarmHouse Fraternity in 2018. He has served as chair of the Graduate College faculty council and his department’s curriculum and outcomes assessment committees. He has also served as a member of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Graduate College Curriculum committees. He is a well-known scholar in animal science and meat science and has published over 110 peer- reviewed publications. Lonergan earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Iowa State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. 6 X. BEN WU Professor, Ecosystem Science and Management Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence Texas A&M University rofessor X. Ben Wu is known for his passion for teaching, genuine care for students and their learning, active and Pinclusive pedagogy to engage and foster the learning of all students, and scholarly teaching approach. In the last 23 years, he has taught more than 9,000 under- graduate and 300 graduate students, mentored 36 graduate students, and served as a committee member for 106 graduate students. He has conducted dozens of teaching workshops for faculty and graduate students, served as associate dean of faculties and as director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, and actively engaged in higher education reform at the university and national levels. He has received numerous teaching awards at college, university, national, and international levels. He was awarded the title of Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence, Arthur and Wilhelmina Doré Thaman University Professorship, and John Kincaid University Professorship for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence. Wu’s research is in the areas of landscape ecology of rangeland ecosystems as well as ecology education, especially authentic scientific inquiries in introductory courses and their effects on student learning. He has more than 90 peer-reviewed publications and was a PI/co-PI for grants of over $12 million from the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other sources, including 18 education-related grants totaling more than $2.5 million. Wu earned a bachelor’s degree from Lanzhou University and master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Tennessee. He received his postdoctoral training at The Ohio State University. 7 True teachers use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross. Then, having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own. NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS REGIONAL TEACHING AWARDS 2018 JASON S. BERGTOLD JOSHUA M. DUKE Professor Professor Agricultural Economics Applied Economics and Statistics Kansas State University University of Delaware ason Bergtold, or 20 years, Josh Ja professor in FDuke has helped agricultural economics at students learn the power Kansas State University of economics to solve (KSU), believes in an problems in agriculture active and experiential and natural resources. learning environment. But this power also He utilizes hands-on requires learning the art active learning tech- of framing problems niques to physically to reflect both the legal engage students in learning economic concepts constraints on institutional change and that are often hard