News

December 12, 2003  

Congratulations to Jim Shortle!

President Spanier has announced the conferral of the title of "Distinguished Professor" on Jim Shortle. This has been made in recognition of Jim's "exceptional record of teaching, research and service."

 

November 5, 2003

Congratulations to Lou Moore!

Lou was recently presented an award from the USDA for his "years of dedication promoting agricultural development and education in the NIS and Eastern Europe."  The award goes on to say that his "energy, enthusiasm, and personal attention to every participant (in the Faculty Exchange Program) have changed the lives of thousands and created a family of friends throughout the world."

 

 November 3, 2003

Congratulations! - Six Named To Community of Teaching Excellence

Six faculty members were named to the Community of Teaching Excellence, a program to recognize educators who significantly contribute to our national reputation for excellence in teaching and learning. The program was designed by Dr. Paul Heinemann, Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, while on his ESCOP/ACOP Leadership Development Internship.

Faculty nominations were solicited through academic unit leaders. Nomination materials were reviewed by a faculty selection committee. The following 2003 Community of Excellence Award recipients were announced and honored at the annual College Scholarship and Awards Banquet on October 21.

  • James G. Beierlein, Professor of Agricultural Economics
  • Harold W. Harpster, Professor of Animal Science
  • Heather Karsten, Assistant Professor of Crop Production/Ecology
  • Diane K. McLaughlin, Associate Professor of Rural Sociology
  • Andrew S. McNitt, Assistant Professor of Soil Science
  • Edgar P. Yoder, Professor of Agricultural and Extension Education

 

T. W. Schultz Award for the Best Contributed Paper by a Young Professional

Congratulations to Flora Nankhuni for winning the T.W.Schultz Award for the Best Contributed Paper by a Young Professional at the recent IAAE (International Association of Agricultural Economists) conference. As one of four finalists, Flora was invited to present her paper at an IAAE plenary session. She tied for the award with an economist from Cornell. This is a nice honor both for Flora and for our department!

 

March 2003

Dr. Leif Jensen, Professor of Rural Sociology and Demography and Director of the Population Research Institute, is the recipient of the Graduate Faculty Teaching Award. 

The Graduate Faculty Teaching Awards was established in 1992 by The Graduate School and is given to faculty members to recognize their outstanding teaching performance and for their advising of doctoral students. 

 

Dr. Drew Hyman, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy and Community Systems, has been awarded the 2003 Barash Award for Human Service.

The annual Barash Award for Human Service was created in 1975 by the family of the late Sy Barash.  It honors a full-time member of the faculty, staff or student body on the University Park campus who, apart from his or her regular duties, has contributed the most to the public service activities and organizations or the welfare of fellow human beings.
 

 

AWARDS

 

April 2003

Flora Nankhuni, Graduate Student in Agricultural, Environmental and Regional Economics placed third in the Eighteenth Annual Graduate Exhibition, for her entry "Investigating the Environment-Population Vicious Circle of Poverty: The Case of Africa and Malawi. 

 

March 2003

Ozgur Tunceli, Graduate Student in Agricultural, Environmental and Regional Economics has received the 2003 Achieving Women Award.

The Achieving Women Award recognize women who have achieved and excelled at Penn State and in their communities.

 

January 2003

Tim Slack is the winner of the 2003 Alumni Association Dissertation Award.  The Alumni Association Dissertation Award recognizes outstanding achievement in scholarship and professional accomplishment and are considered to be among the most prestigious available to Penn State graduate students.  These awards provide support for doctoral candidates who have passed their comprehensive examinations and who have had their dissertation topics approved.  Nominations for this award are solicited from among the 90 doctoral programs at Penn State, with the top two nominations from each college constituting a pool of premier nominations that are forwarded to a selection committee.  From this pool of candidates, two students are selected from the five following categories: Fine Arts and Humanities; Social Sciences; physical and Computational Sciences; Life and Health Science; and Engineering. (Advisor: Dr. Leif Jensen)

 

Sarah Roth, Extension Associate, is a member of The Dairy Farm Resource Planning Guide Team, led by Dr. Lisa Holden, associate professor, Dairy and Animal Science.  This team won the Vice President's Award for Innovation "Pathfinder Award."  The team is being honored for developing a step-by-step resource guide for dairy producers as they consider a business expansion.

 

PROGRAM CHANGES

The Graduate Council recently approved program changes to add a new Option in Watershed Stewardship in the Graduate Programs in Ecology, Environmental Pollution Control (EPC), and Agricultural, Environmental, and Regional Economics.