February 6, 2002
AMES, Iowa — The College of Agriculture at Iowa State University presented annual awards to faculty and staff at its spring semester convocation on Feb. 7. Award winners were:
Animal science professor Curtis Youngs received the Outstanding Adviser Award. He advises an average of 46 students each year and several student organizations. His ability to help students achieve their career goals was cited in the award presentation.
Joe Colletti, associate professor of forestry, received the Outstanding Achievement in Teaching Award. He has taught forestry classes for 23 years. He was honored for helping students apply what they've learned outside the classroom.
Cary Trexler, assistant professor of agricultural education and studies, received the Early Achievement in Teaching Award. He introduced service learning in the undergraduate leadership course to help students develop teamwork and communication skills.
Animal scientist Don Beitz, a Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture, received the Outstanding Achievement in Research Award. He began teaching at Iowa State in 1967 and has developed a broad area of research in biochemistry and animal science. His research includes the interaction of animal products and human health.
Lois Wright Morton, assistant professor of sociology, received the Early Achievement in Research Award. Since starting at Iowa State in 1999, she has focused on research that combines civic structure, food systems and human health. She has published a book on health care restructuring, is involved in several grants and participates in the sustainable agriculture major.
The "Hoop Group" received the Team Award. The team evaluates hoop structures as a low-cost alternative for small and medium-sized hog producers. The team includes faculty and staff from the economics, animal science, sociology, agriculture and biosystems engineering, and veterinary medicine departments and three Iowa State research farms.
Ramesh Kanwar, chair of the agricultural and biosystems engineering department, received the Excellence in International Agriculture Award. Kanwar has been active in 30 major international projects since 1988 and has represented Iowa State in more than 30 countries. He has worked to enhance the international dimension of Iowa State and globalize teaching, research and service.
Laura Marek, assistant scientist in agronomy, received the Professional and Scientific Award for Achievement and Service. She is a leader in a $4 million gene discovery project funded by soybean growers and is a senior staff member on a $4.3 million National Science Foundation grant on soybean genomics.
Jennifer Rivera, account clerk in economics, received the Merit Award for Achievement and Service. A College of Agriculture employee since 1990, she maintains the accounts for faculty and staff projects in two colleges, requiring an understanding of financial procedures in both.
Charles Brummer, associate professor of agronomy, received the Raymond and Mary Baker Agronomic Excellence Award. Since he became a faculty member in 1994, he has become internationally known for his research in plant breeding and genetics. He originated and developed a plant genetics class that has become a core course for graduate students.
Ron Holden, president emeritus of Holdens Foundation Seeds, received the Floyd Andre Award. The award recognizes alumni for their contributions to agriculture while living in Iowa. Holden graduated from Iowa State in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in agronomy. He developed corn parent lines whose hybrids are widely grown today and contribute $10 million to Iowa farmers annually. The seed company is based in Williamsburg.
Burton Endo, a retired USDA research plant pathologist, received the Henry A. Wallace Award. The award is given to an Iowa State alumn who contributes to national or international agriculture in writing, teaching, research or leadership. Endo graduated from Iowa State in 1951 in horticulture and obtained his master's degree in 1955 and doctorate degree in 1958 from North Carolina State University. The award recognizes Endo's work as a one of the first researchers to begin to study methods to control the soybean cyst nematode in North Carolina, where it was first detected.