Purdue Agriculture Connections

Department Notes

Agricultural Communication

In addition to the Connections awards story, nine staff members earned awards at the national convention of the Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE) in Toronto. Steve Tally earned a gold award in the writing for newspapers category, and Olivia Maddox won a gold award in the writing for magazines category. Tally also won the ACE Award of Excellence for news writing, Russ Merzdorf won an Award of Excellence for graphic design, and interim department head Chris Sigurdson won an Award of Excellence for media relations. Silver awards went to Dan Annarino (animation) and Steve Doyle (electronic media). The Agricultures magazine team of Maddox, Merzdorf, Mike Atwell and Tom Campbell also won silver awards in the Web site competition. Bronze awards went to Steve Leer (writing for newspapers) and Merzdorf (publications/direct mail).

Agricultural & Biological Engineering

R. Wayne Skaggs, PhD '70, became the third consecutive president of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers with Purdue ties when he was sworn in for a one-year term at the society's annual meeting Aug. 1 in Sacramento, Calif. A professor at North Carolina State University, Skaggs succeeds Harmon L. Towne, BS '63, and Larry F. Huggins, PhD '66, as head of the national organization.

Three faculty members recently received honors. Dirk Maier received the ASAE Young Extension Educator Award, Bill Field received Purdue's Hovde Award, and Mack Strickland, BS '71, MS '72, PhD '79, received the FFA VIP Award.

Dan Taylor is the new student and academic services specialist for the department. He coordinates graduate and undergraduate student services, student recruitment, scholarships, and academic programs. Taylor formerly worked in the business office.

Agricultural Economics

Professor Paul Preckel and graduate research assistant Nega Wubeneh were part of an international team that received the International Livestock Research Institute's 2001 Neville Clarke Award for outstanding teamwork. The award is named after the first chairman of the ILRI Board of Trustees. Preckel and Wubeneh were cited for contributions to the ILRI project Policies for Sustainable Land Management in the Highlands of East Africa.

Agricultural Education

Elisha Priebe, BS '01 has received the Amelia Earhart Scholarship from Purdue. Priebe graduated in May with a 4.0 grade point index. She is working for Dow AgroSciences. "It's just an incredible honor, because Amelia Earhart was such a terrific role model," says Priebe. "She wasn't afraid to stand up for herself, and she made an effort to encourage other women to excel in life." The Earhart Scholarship was discontinued in the 1970s due to lack of funding, but it was reinstated in 1999 with a gift from 1967 winner Doreen Buranich Simmons, a New York attorney. Her gift became a catalyst for Joan Russell Dudding of Georgetown, Texas, to fund the scholarship on an ongoing basis. "I wanted to help Purdue in some way, and the Amelia Earhart Scholarship seemed like the right way." Dudding says.

DeBeth Manns, a PhD student in Agricultural and Extension Education, received a Purdue Special Initiatives Assistantship through the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Manns, a graduate of Wake Forest (BS) and North Carolina A&T (MS), hopes to pursue a career in a foreign relations agency upon graduating from Purdue. Her research focuses on evaluating agricultural and Extension education systems in developing naions.

Agronomy

The Clay Minerals Society presented professor Cliff Johnston the Marion L. and Christie M. Jackson Mid-Career Award. Johnston received the award at the association's annual meeting June 16-20 in Madison, Wis.

Biochemistry

Graduate student Tania Malave was selected from a national pool of applicants in all areas of science and the humanities and engineering to receive a Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship. The award includes a $24,000 stipend for one year.

Botany & Plant Pathology

Andreas Westphal has joined the department as an assistant professor of plant pathology. Westphal received his PhD in 1998 from the University of California, Riverside. His research will be in the area of soil-borne diseases of agronomic and horticultural crops, and disease-suppressive soils.

Entomology

David Mueller, BS '75, is the winner of the John V. Osmun Alumni Professional Achievement Award. Mueller is president of Insects Limited Inc. in Indianapolis. The award, named after the long-time department head and professor emeritus of entomology, honors professionalism and distinction in the recipient's chosen field.

Food Science

Sally Linton, marketing director of the Indiana Wine Grape Council, received a VISTA Award for her dedication to the Indiana tourism profession. "The VISTA Awards are given to those who have been outstanding in promoting Indiana, proving what ingenuity and hard work can do," says Indiana Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan. "All the individuals and organizations in this competition have produced positive results for their industry, their community and the state of Indiana. Sally's dedication, friendliness and enthusiasm reflect a positive image of Indiana to people both inside and outside the industry." The VISTA Awards are presented annually by the Indiana Department of Commerce's Tourism and Film Development Division. Linton received the award at the Hoosier Hospitality Conference in Indianapolis on March 27.

Professor Suzanne Nielsen received the 2001 University of Minnesota Outstanding Achievement Award. The award is given to graduates who have attained unusual distinction in their profession and have demonstrated outstanding achievement and leadership. A Purdue faculty member since 1982, Nielsen earned her master's (1979) and doctoral (1982) degrees from the University of Minnesota.

Forestry & Natural Resources

Professor William Chaney is the 2001 winner of the Charles B. Murphy Award, Purdue's highest undergraduate teaching award. Chaney has earned more than $250,000 in competitive grants to support his teaching innovations. A faculty member since 1970, Chaney coordinated the efforts of faculty from the College of Agriculture and the School of Liberal Arts to teach a series of international study courses that integrate topics in natural resources, agriculture, art and culture. The course, open to undergraduates and adult learners, provides learning experiences through travel to Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Germany, Austria, Great Britain, Spain, the Czech Republic and Kenya. Chaney has served as a residence hall Faculty Fellow in Shreve Hall and currently in Harrison Hall.

Horticulture & Landscape Architecture

Professor Mike Dana received the Richard W. McDowell Outstanding Academic Counselor award from Century Circle Omicron Delta Kappa. Dana also received the David C. Pfendler Award, presented annually to the outstanding counselor in the College of Agriculture. The student body selects the Pfendler award recipient.

Assistant professor Kim Wilson is one of 12 Purdue faculty members to earn the Teaching for Tomorrow Award. Over the next year, Wilson will be matched with one of three resource faculty to address topics relating to teaching and student learning.

Professor emeritus Harrison Flint has received the Eloise Payne Luquer Medal, presented annually by the Garden Club of America.

Interim head steps in for Animal Sciences

Alan Grant

Alan Grant, a professor who joined the department in 1990 is the interim head of the Department of Animal Sciences, succeeding Jeff Armstrong.

Armstrong left to become dean of agriculture and natural resources at Michigan State University on July 1.

Grant, who holds a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and master's and doctoral degrees from Michigan State, accepted the position on an interim basis.

"I would like to see if an administrative position is something for me," Grant says. "I really enjoy research, and taking this position on an interim basis will allow me to see if this is something I want to do. At the same time, I can find out if I miss doing research. I really enjoy interacting with graduate and undergraduate students and spending time in the lab, and I'm not sure this is the right time to give all of that up and become a permanent department head."

Grant's research and teaching have been in the areas of skeletal muscle growth and development. He has been a visiting scientist for the Medical Research Council of the Imperial College School of Medicine in London, England.

Applications for a permanent department head will be accepted through September. Grant says the department hopes to fill the position by July 1, 2002. "We have some big shoes to fill. Jeff was a great person to work with," Grant says.