2023 Awards & Promotions

On August 15, 2023, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture presented more than thirty awards and promotions to Institute personnel.

More information about each award winner may be accessed at the links included below. Scroll down for all awards and promotions.

Awards


The Charles and Patricia Goan Excellence in Customer Service Award

This award, established by Dean Emeritus Charles Goan and his wife, Pat, recognizes Extension employees who complete or aid in completing exemplary work to further Extension priorities and provide or aid in providing Extension customers with excellent service, knowledge, and information as requested. The award recognizes excellence and is open to all faculty and staff.

Sreedhar Upendram

Sreedhar Upendram

Associate Professor,
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics


The Charles and Julie Wharton Award for Outstanding Extension Achievements

Established by longtime supporters of the Institute of Agriculture Charles Wharton and his late wife Julie, and now supported by Charles and Lori Wharton, this award is presented to three UT Extension agents annually. These agents may conduct programs in any area, including agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, 4-H youth development, and economic and resource development. Special consideration is given to those individuals who have demonstrated excellence in serving local needs for five years or more.

Ranson Goodman

Ranson E. Goodman

Extension Agent III, UT Extension Henry County

Scott Swoape

Scott Swoape

Extension Agent III and County Director, UT Extension White County

TIm Woods

Tim Woods

Extension Agent III and County Director, UT Extension McMinn County


Ann and Bill Hicks Outstanding New Extension Worker Award

Established by UT Extension Dean Emeritus Bill Hicks and his wife Ann. Awarded annually to recognize an outstanding employee with at least three years but not more than five years of service with UT Extension. The award recipient is selected by a committee that includes past winners of the Outstanding New Extension Worker Award and is presented each year to an Extension agent, area specialist, or specialist.

Elizabeth Eckelkamp

Elizabeth Eckelkamp

Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science


TAAA&S-Hicks Awards of Excellence

Established by the Tennessee Association of Agricultural Agents and Specialists and other endowment funds, this award is presented annually to up to three agricultural Extension faculty who are also members of TAAA&S.

Anthony Carver

Anthony Carver

Extension Agent III and County Director, UT Extension Grainger County

Lucas Holman

Lucas Holman

Extension Agent II and County Director, UT Extension Wilson County

Virginia Sykes

Virginia R. Sykes

Associate Professor, Department of Plant Sciences


Vernon and Ida Darter Award

Named for the late UT Extension Dean Emeritus Vernon W. Darter and his wife, the late Ida Darter, this award recognizes excellence among the ranks of associate Extension agents.

Stacy Clark

Stacy L. Clark

Extension Agent II, UT Extension Lawrence County


The Lloyd and Nettie Downen Endowment Fund Leadership Enhancement Award

Established by UT Extension Dean Emeritus M. Lloyd Downen and his wife, this award recognizes Extension faculty members who serve in leadership roles across the state.

Jamie Harris

Jamie Harris

Extension Specialist II, 4-H and Youth Development


G. L. Carter Jr. Outstanding 4-H Youth Development Agent Award

This award was established by the late G.L. Carter Jr., whose Extension career began in 1949 in Greene County where he served as a 4-H agent. He was also a UT Extension Hamblen County 4-H member. Carter was the first in his family to graduate from college, later earning an MS and a PhD from the University of Wisconsin. His 44-year career included working as the youth editor of a farm and ranch magazine; serving as a state 4-H staff member in both Tennessee and North Carolina; and helping to create the Journal of Extension, a professional publication for Extension agents and specialists. Carter has provided the funding through an endowment to recognize an Outstanding 4-H Youth Development Agent.

Sarah E. Keenan

Sarah Keenan

Extension Agent III, UT Extension Maury County


Alice Ann Moore Outstanding 4-H Youth Development Agent Award

This award was established by Alice Ann Moore, former director of UT Extension 4-H Youth Development programs, who, for over thirty years, has provided exemplary service to the University of Tennessee in many capacities. She herself was a 4-H member in Crockett County. Under her leadership, Tennessee 4-H developed a life skills evaluation system that is nationally recognized as a ground-breaking scientific means of providing feedback on the effectiveness of 4-H youth education programs. She is also an honorary life member of the Tennessee 4-H Foundation.

Staci Foy

Staci D. Foy

Extension Agent III, UT Extension Henry County


William D. Bishop Outstanding Service Award

Presented in memory of Dean Emeritus William D. Bishop, this award recognizes a member of University of Tennessee Extension who has contributed most to the
attainment of Extension objectives.

Lew Strickland

Lew Strickland

Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science


Webster Pendergrass Outstanding Service Award

This award is presented in memory of former Vice President for Agriculture Webster Pendergrass and recognizes a teaching, research, or Extension faculty member who has contributed most to the fulfillment of the Institute’s goals and objectives.

Shawn Hawkins

Shawn Hawkins

Professor, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science


E. J. Chapman Outstanding Service Award

Established by the late E.J. Chapman, who served the university in a wide range of capacities from agronomist to assistant vice president for agriculture, this award recognizes a staff member with a supporting role in teaching, research, or Extension.

Dawn Seigel

Dawn Seigel

Administrative Coordinator I, UT Extension Administration


Cavender Outstanding Award for Best Publication

Established by the late Dutch Cavender, former director of communications, and his late wife, Marilee, this award recognizes excellence in the development of published material produced by professionals in the Institute of Agriculture.

Cavender Outstanding Award for Best Publication Award Announcement

Tennessee’s Food Freedom Act – 2022 Homemade Foods Allowed under the “Cottage Food Laws” (PB1909)

Kyla Adkins

Kyla Adkins

Extension Assistant I, Department of Food Science

Mark Morgan

Mark Morgan

Professor, Department of Food Science

Megan Leffew

Megan Leffew

Extension Specialist III, Center for Profitable Agriculture

Tennessee Home Vegetable Garden Calendar, Tennessee Extension Home Fruit and Vegetable Workgroup (W436)

Bob Ary

Bob Ary

Extension Program Assistant II, UT Extension Robertson County

Natalie Bumgarner

Natalie R. Bumgarner

Associate Professor, Department of Plant Sciences

John Gunter

John Gunter

Extension Agent III and County Director, UT Extension Fentress County

David W. Lockwood

David W. Lockwood

Professor, Department of Plant Sciences

Melody Rose

Melody Rose

Extension Agent III, UT Extension Greene County

Lee Sammons

Lee Sammons

Extension Agent III, UT Extension Hardeman County

Virginia R. Sykes

Associate Professor, Department of Plant Sciences

Gregg Upchurch

W. Gregg Upchurch

Extension Agent III, UT Extension Cumberland County

Seth Whitehouse

Seth Whitehouse

Extension Agent II and County Director, UT Extension Anderson County


J. E. Moss Achievement Awards

Established in memory of J.E. and Ann Moss, this award recognizes excellent achievement in teaching, research, and Extension for the Institute of Agriculture. Awards are provided each year for each of the four units of the Institute of Agriculture. Awardees are selected by a committee including the senior vice chancellor/senior vice president and the four deans of the Institute.

Charley Martinez

Charley Martinez

Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics

Darcy Smith

Darcy Smith

Project Manager, UT AgResearch Administration

Brian Whitlock

Brian K. Whitlock

Professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Emma Willcox

Emma V. Willcox

Professor, School of Natural Resources


Williams – E. R. “Prof” Lidvall Outstanding Teaching Award

Established by Donald E. Williams, a 1961 graduate of the Herbert College of Agriculture, this award honors his former professor and mentor, Professor E.R. Lidvall. The award recognizes faculty who exemplify Lidvall’s commitment to excellence in the classroom and his commitment to the needs and interests of the student.

Brad Collett

Brad Collett

Professor, Department of Plant Sciences


Miles Award for Community Service

Named for the late William T. Miles, a respected medical doctor, this award was
established by his son, the late Curtis W. Miles, a longtime devotee of the field trials at the Ames AgResearch and Education Center located near Grand Junction, Tennessee. Curtis W. Miles’ life philosophy was to “treat people like you want to be treated,” and so this award recognizes significant contributions and service to the Knoxville community.

Jennifer Weisent

Jennifer Weisent

Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences


Mildred Pendergrass Outstanding Service Award

This award, presented in memory of Mildred Pendergrass, wife of former Vice President for Agriculture Webster Pendergrass, is given to employees among the technical, skill, and service staff of the Institute.

Jason Reeves

Jason Reeves

Research Associate I, West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center


B. Ray Thompson Sr. Outstanding Faculty Performance Award

This award is made possible by the Thompson Faculty Endowment and is presented annually to Institute of Agriculture faculty who have distinguished themselves by their exceptional performance. This award rotates among the four units within the Institute of Agriculture.

Vince Pantalone

Vince Pantalone

Professor, Department of Plant Sciences


Professional/Academic Award for Outstanding Service

Provided by the Institute of Agriculture administration, this award is given to a recipient among the professional and other academic employees who has contributed most to the attainment of the objectives of the Institute of Agriculture.

James Newburn

James Newburn

Research Associate I, Department of Plant Sciences


T. J. Whatley Distinguished Young Scientist Award

Established by the late Associate Dean Emeritus Thomas Whatley of UT AgResearch, this award recognizes a young scientist who has less than twelve years of professional experience with a minimum of five years of service on the agricultural faculty.

Yang Zhao

Yang Zhao

Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science


AgResearch Impact Award

This award is presented to an AgResearch faculty or professional staff member whose efforts have had a profound effect on improving the efficiency, sustainability, and/or economic viability of the food and fiber industry of rural areas of Tennessee.

Tarek Hewezi

Tarek Hewezi

Professor, Department of Plant Sciences


AgResearch Mid-Career Faculty Research Excellence Award

This award recognizes demonstrated commitment and meritorious achievements in research by faculty during the mid-stage of their academic career. Emphasis will be on the impacts that a faculty member’s efforts in research and technology development have had on UT AgResearch stakeholders or the science community at large, especially during the past five years. Both tenure and non-tenure track faculty are eligible.

Sindhu Jagadamma

Sindhu Jagadamma

Associate Professor, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science


UT AgResearch Dean’s Award for Outstanding Support Staff

The UT AgResearch Dean’s Award for Outstanding Support Staff honors and acknowledges excellence of employees in fulfilling their job responsibilities. The award recognizes employees who have demonstrated the following: competence and critical thinking; cooperativeness and team building; professionalism and ethical behavior; initiative and dependability; and excellent communication skills.

Sandra Marine

Sandra Marine

Administrative Support Assistant III, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science


UT AgResearch Dean’s Award for Outstanding Professional Staff

The UT AgResearch Dean’s Award for Outstanding Professional Staff honors and acknowledges excellence of employees in fulfilling their job responsibilities.The award recognizes employees who have demonstrated the following: competence and critical thinking; cooperativeness and team building; professionalism and ethical behavior; initiative and dependability; and excellent communication skills.

Wesley Wright

Wesley Wright

Senior Research Associate, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science


UT AgResearch Dean’s Grantsmanship Award

The UT AgResearch Dean’s Grantsmanship Award recognizes the extraordinary effort of our faculty members in successfully securing competitive extramural grants and contracts and who exceed expectations of good departmental/institutional citizenship. This award is based on the total dollar amount of competitive extramural grants/contracts secured by the faculty member serving as principal or co-principal investigator.

Scott Lenaghan

Scott C. Lenaghan

Associate Professor, Department of Food Science

Neelam Poudyal

Neelam Poudyal

Professor, School of Natural Resources

Yang Zhao

Yang Zhao

Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science


UT Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture UTIA Faculty Global Lifetime Achievement Award

The UTIA Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a faculty member who has made significant and sustained contributions in teaching, research and/or extension across their UT career in support of the UT’s global vision of a world enriched by the power of ideas, made better through action, and inspired by the Volunteer spirit of service and leadership through commitments to:

  • Producing innovative global research and teaching
  • Engaging meaningfully with existing partners and developing new long-term partners
  • Fostering lifelong engaged learning among UT students, UT alumni, and Tennesseans
Marcy Souza

Marcy J. Souza

Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine Administration


UT Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture Faculty Global Excellence Award

The Faculty Global Excellence Award is presented annually to a faculty member who makes extraordinary contributions to the advancement of the international mission of the Institute. Preference will be given to faculty whose contributions enhance UTIA’s global reputation and visibility; demonstrate impact, influence, or innovation; and develop significant interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary teaching, research and/or extension programs.

Denita Hadziabdic Guerry

Denita Hadziabdic Guerry

Associate Professor, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology


UT Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture Outstanding Staff Global Engagement Award

The Outstanding Staff Global Engagement Award recognizes individual staff members for their outstanding engagement in support of globalizing the university’s missions of teaching, research, and/or extension. This award recognizes the contributions of individuals who make international programming more accessible to faculty, staff, and students and/or who raise the visibility of international programming across the Institute.

Lauren Henry

Lauren Henry

Director of Communications, UTIA Institutional Advancement


UTIA Institute Professor Award

The title of Institute Professor is awarded to a faculty member who has served at the rank of professor for a period of at least seven years, in recognition of consistent outstanding performance over this period. This performance is evidenced by excellence in teaching, research, Extension, or clinical practice, and, in the case of faculty members holding joint appointments, would be expected to reflect the distribution of the appointment. Leadership and reputation through service at the national and/or international levels within the faculty member’s scientific discipline is also expected.

Ernest Bernard

Ernest C. Bernard

Professor, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology

Promotions & Tenure


Emily Barton — UT Extension Hawkins County
Brooke Cass — UT Extension McMinn County
Susan Conner — UT Extension Hawkins County
Bianca Johnson — UT Extension Davidson County
Mary Beth Lima — UT Extension Blount County
Emily Mote — UT Extension Warren County
Michaela Pedigo — UT Extension Macon County
Kristen Rich — UT Extension Clay County
Lucy Timbs — UT Extension Washington County

Lucas Holman — UT Extension Wilson County
Lauren Patterson — UT Extension Robertson County
Steve Rickman — UT Extension Chester County

Neal Denton — UT Extension Knox County

Rita Jackson — UT Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, Western Region
Natalie Owens — UT Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, Central Region

Ty Petty — UT Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources, Eastern Region

Elizabeth Eckelkamp — Department of Animal Science
Virginia R. Sykes — Department of Plant Sciences
Sreedhar Upendram — Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
Yang Zhao — Department of Animal Science

Kimberly Anderson — Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences
Connie Fazio — Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences
Kristen Marshall — Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences

John R. Buchanan — Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science
Andrew Griffith — Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
Kimberly Gwinn — Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
Sean M. Schaeffer — Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science
Emma V. Willcox — School of Natural Resources

Angela Rollins — Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Sree Rajeev — Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences
Joe Zhuang — Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science