On August 4, 2026, 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.
Awards
William T Miles M.D. Memorial 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.
Flood Recovery Team:
Andrea Lorene Ludwig
Professor and Extension Specialist
Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science
Shelli Rampold
Associate Professor
Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications
Aaron Smith
Interim Assistant Dean, Extension ANR/CED Professor,
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
Annette Wszelaki
Professor and Commercial Vegetable Extension Specialist
Department of Plant Sciences
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.
Faculty Global Excellence Award
The UT Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture Faculty Global Excellence Award will be 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.
Outstanding Staff Global Engagement Award
The UT Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture 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.
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.
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 resource development. Special consideration is given to those individuals who have demonstrated excellence in serving local needs for five years or more.
Ann and Bill Hicks Outstanding New Extension Worker Award
Established by Dr. Bill Hicks, dean emeritus of Extension, 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
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.
Kaushalya Amarasekare
Associate Professor and Extension Specialist
Tennessee State University, Entomology
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.
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.
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.
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.
Rita Rowe Jackson
Extension Specialist II and State EFNEP Coordinator
Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
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.
Mildred Pendergrass Award for Outstanding Service
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.
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.
Branding Essentials for Value-added Agricultural Enterprises
Urban Food Production
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.
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.
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 and senior vice president and the four deans of the institute.
Carrie Stephens
Professor and Assistant Head
Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
AgResearch Dean’s Professor Award
The AgResearch Dean’s Professor Award recognizes outstanding faculty who have sustained an active research and development program over their career. The purpose of this accolade is to recognize highly productive and impactful faculty members at the rank of Professor with the title of “AgResearch Dean’s Professor” in recognition of well-documented, consistent, and outstanding research products and key program impacts.
Powell Family Endowed Chair in Genomics
The endowed earnings for the Powell Family Endowed Chair in Genomics are awarded to tenured faculty for exceptional teaching, research, creativity, or service. This is a gift from the family of the late Jim Powell, who is a UT alum and was a long-time benefactor for animal science.
Charles E. Wharton Institute Professor Award
The title of Institute Professor may be 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.
