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About K-State

2012 Faculty Achievements

* Kirk Schulz received the 2012 Chief Executive Leadership Award by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, or CASE. The award recognizes the leadership of a higher education chief executive officer who demonstrates the ability to create a vision and inspire others. According to the criteria used by the CASE selection committee, Chief Executive Leadership Award recipients have established a positive image for the institution; increased the institution's stature in the community; encouraged innovation among employees; and actively supported advancement. December 2012

* Sue Peterson, director of governmental relations and assistant to the president, received the 2011 Marvin D. "Swede" Johnson Achievement Award. The award is one of two state government relations awards presented annually by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, the American Association of Community Colleges, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. It recognizes extraordinary contributions that have advanced an academic institution's government relations. December 2012

* Geraldine Craig, head of the department of art, was invited to be the 2012-2013 Dorothy Liskey Wampler eminent professor at the School of Art, Design and Art History at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va. Previous Wampler professors make up a select list of distinguished artists and scholars, and include Bill Viola, Peter Plagens, Lucy Lippard, Xu Bing, Clarence Morgan, James Wines, Donald Kuspit, Suzi Gablik and the Women’s Studio Workshop. December 2012

* Dan Thomson, Jones professor of production medicine, was one of six professors nationwide to win a 2012 Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences Regional Teaching Award. Thomson received the award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. The award recognizes outstanding faculty members for their abilities as classroom teachers, use of innovative teaching methods, scholarship and service to students and their profession. Kansas State is first in the nation in the number of the teaching awards received, with a combined total of 13 national and regional awards. December 2012

* Candice Shoemaker, professor of horticulture and human health, was one of two professors in the country to win the 2012 Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. The award recognizes outstanding faculty members for their ability as classroom teachers, use of innovative teaching methods, service to students and their profession and scholarship. December 2012

* The American Association for the Advancement of Science named four Kansas State University researchers among its 2012 fellows, a prestigious recognition given to association members by their peers. The four fellows are: John Blair, university distinguished professor of biology; Ruth Welti, university distinguished professor of biology; Kun Yan Zhu, professor of entomology; and Ron Trewyn, vice president for research. The four Kansas State University fellows are among the 702 fellows chosen this year. The American Association for the Advancement of Science chooses fellows because of their distinguished efforts to advance science. November 2012

* Sunish Sehgal, research associate in plant pathology, and Bikram S. Gill, university distinguished professor of plant pathology and director of the university's Wheat Genetics Resource Center, were part of an international collaboration that successfully sequenced most of the genes of common wheat, also known as bread wheat. Researchers anticipate using this information to genetically improve wheat so that growers can meet the world's increasing demands for food and feed. November 2012

* Kimetris Baltrip, assistant professor in journalism, was selected a 2013 fellow to the Scripps Howard Journalism Entrepreneurship Institute Jan. 2-6, 2013, at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Phoenix, Ariz. November 2012

* Gayle Doll won merit honors from the 21st annual National Mature Media Awards Program for her book "Sexuality in Long-Term Care: Understanding and Supporting the Needs of Older Adults." The awards program is the nation’s largest that recognizes material for adults age 50 and older. November 2012

* Courtney Markle, food service supervisor senior for housing and dining services, was selected a finalist at the fifth annual America's Best Raisin Bread contest with her recipe for Golden Raisin and Candied Bacon Pretzel Rolls. The event was sponsored by the California Raisin Marketing Board. November 2012

* Doug Jardine, extension plant pathologist with K-State Research and Extension, was a member of the research team receiving the 2012 Experiment Station Section Award of Excellence in Multistate Research from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. Jardine and colleagues were recognized for the project NCERA-208, "Response to Emerging Soybean Rust Threat." November 2012

* Artem Rudenko, assistant professor of physics at Kansas State University, was one of the principal investigators in an international physics collaboration that used the world's most powerful X-ray laser to supercharge an atom for the first time. By stripping a record number of electrons from a xenon atom, researchers were able to covert the atom to an intense positive energy state thought to be unobtainable. The findings will help scientists create and study extreme new states of matter, such as highly charged plasma, and record better atomic images and data. November 2012

* An international scientific collaboration that included two Kansas State University researchers was part of a successful project that mapped the genome of the domestic pig. The sequenced genome gives researchers a genetic blueprint of the pig. Once all of the genetic information is understood, scientists anticipate improvements to the animal's health as well as human health, as pigs and humans share similar physiologies. Taking part in the project were Yongming Sang, research assistant professor of anatomy and physiology, and Frank Blecha, associate dean at the College of Veterinary Medicine and university distinguished professor of anatomy and physiology. November 2012

* Bikram S. Gill, university distinguished professor of plant pathology and director of the Wheat Genetic and Genomic Resources Center, received the National Friendship Award from the Chinese government. The award is China's highest recognition for foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the country's economic and social progress. October 2012

* William T. Schapaugh Jr., professor and soybean breeder in the agronomy department, received the Crop Science Society of America Fellow award for 2012 at the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America annual meetings He was one of just 11 recipients nationally of this prestigious recognition from the Crop Science Society of America this year. October 2012

* Sherry Haar, associate professor of apparel, textiles and interior design, received the Women of the Arts Award for her contribution to the concept of sustainability from the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution. She was nominated by the Polly Ogden chapter in Manhattan. Haar conducts research on natural dyes. October 2012

* Vern Wirka, journalism and mass communications instructor and KSDB-FM chief operator and faculty adviser, now serves as the vice chair for Kansas Chapter 3 of the Society of Broadcast Engineers. The chapter members elected Wirka during their meeting at the recent convention of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters. October 2012

* James R. Hamilton, professor of philosophy, was elected to the board of trustees of the American Society for Aesthetics. October 2012

* Michelle Haub, clinical supervisor in the communications sciences and disorders program, has been appointed president-elect of the Kansas Speech-Language Hearing Association’s executive board. The association is the state-level professional organization for speech-language pathologists and audiologists. October 2012

* Kansas State University programs and staff have received five regional awards from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association. Award winners include: Bettie Minshall of the Division of Continuing Education, the John L. Christopher Outstanding Leadership Award for her service to the association; the division's Rosemary Boggs, the Professional Continuing Educator Award; the university's Academic Chairpersons Conference, the Mature Noncredit Program Award; Go Teacher program, offered through the College of Education, Innovative Noncredit Program Award; and the Reading Specialist Endorsement program, offered through the College of Education, the Innovative Credit Program Award. October 2012

* Subramanyam "Subi" Bhadriraju, professor of grain science, has received the 2012 Award of Excellence in Integrated Pest Management from the Entomological Society of America Foundation. The international award is given annually to one scientist who has made outstanding contributions to integrated pest management with special consideration to independence of thought and originality. October 2012

* Peter Dorhout, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, was appointed to the American Association for the Advancement of Science steering committee of the science and human rights coalition as a representative of the American Chemical Society board of directors. As part of his responsibilities, Dorhout serves as one of six members, plus a staff member, responsible for directing implementation of policies developed to address scientific freedom and human rights challenges and abuses. October 2012

* Two K-State Salina faculty members are serving in leadership positions with the American Society for Engineering Education's Midwest Section. Raju Dandu, professor of mechanical engineering technology, is chair of the Midwest section for 2012-2013. He served as chair-elect in 2011-2012. As chair, he represents the section on the society’s Zone Three executive board. Les Kinsler, professor of computer systems technology and interim engineering technology department head, was named programming chair for the Midwest section. He will organize the section's annual conference. The society's Midwest section includes educators and business leaders from Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. October 2012

* Simon Ou, associate professor of computing and information sciences, is developing hacker detection tools in collaboration with Hewlett-Packard Co., or HP, as part of the HP Labs Innovation Research Program. Kansas State University is one of only 46 universities in the world to receive the 2012 award from HP. Ou received nearly $75,000 to fund his project, "A New Approach to Rigorous Risk Analytics using Attack Graphs." It's the third consecutive year he has been selected for the program, making his combined total for the award more than $220,000. September 2012

* Matthias Kling, assistant professor of physics, has received the Early Career Research Program Award from the U.S. Department of Energy. Kling will receive $750,000 to support his research titled "Electron Dynamics in Nanostructures in Strong Laser Fields." August 2012

* Raymond Cloyd, professor of entomology, was awarded the 2012 Outstanding Extension Educator Award by the American Society for Horticultural Science. The award honors professionals who have made distinguished contributions over a period of 10 or more years to the profession and science of horticulture, the horticultural industry and home and urban horticulture, through innovative extension programs. August 2012

* The Association of Avian Veterinarians and Lafeber Company recently named Jim Carpenter, professor and service chief of exotic, wildlife and zoo animal medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine, as the T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year. August 2012

* Sally Yahnke, associate professor of curriculum and instruction in the College of Education, recently received the Carl Perkins Outstanding Service Award from the Kansas Association of Teachers of Family and Consumer Science. August 2012

* Brian Lindshield, assistant professor of human nutrition, is gaining attention for creating a textbook replacement -- called a flexbook -- that saves students money and provides professors with teaching flexibility. The flexbook is one of three nominees for an Education-Portal.com People's Choice Award for "Most Open Resource." August 2012

* The Big 12 Conference appointed President Kirk Schulz as its representative on the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA, Division-I Board of Directors. The board is made up of presidents or chancellors from institutions in each of the association's 11 conferences. Schulz will serve a four-year term, ending in August 2016. July 2012

* Kristin Michel, assistant professor of biology, has been appointed to a one-year term on the Department of Health and Human Services' Vector Biology Study Section, Center for Scientific Review. Study section members are selected on their demonstrated competence and achievement in their scientific discipline as evidenced by the quality of research accomplishments, publications in scientific journals and other significant activities, achievements and honors. July 2012

* Deborah D. Canter, professor of dietetics and a longtime advocate for the dietetics profession, was selected to present the 2012 Lenna Frances Cooper Memorial Lecture at the 2012 Academy of Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Philadelphia on Oct. 7. Delivering the lecture is one of the highest honors given by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, formerly the American Dietetic Association. The invitation is an annual honor that goes to an academy member who has contributed to the profession on the national and state levels. July 2012

* Sonya Britt, assistant professor of personal financial planning, co-edited a new book to help colleges, universities and other institutions establish or improve financial literacy for students. The book, released this spring by Springer, is a manual for college and university personnel and student leaders who want to develop a campus-based financial counseling/education program It includes several chapters written by faculty from Kansas State University's personal financial planning program and the director of Powercat Financial Counseling. July 2012

* Katherine Karlin, assistant professor of English, won the 2011 Balcones Fiction Prize from Austin Community College Creative Writing for her book "Send Me Work," which is also a 2012 Kansas Notable Book. Published by TriQuarterly, "Send Me Work" is a collection of fictional stories about working American women.

* Lisa Tatonetti, associate professor of English, received a silver medal in the 2012 Independent Publisher Book Awards in the anthologies category for the book "Sovereign Erotics: A Collection of Two-Spirit Literature." Published by the University of Arizona Press, Tatonetti is co-editor of the collection and co-author of the book's introduction. July 2012

* Jennifer Bormann and Tim Rozell, both associate professors of animal sciences and industry, each received Teacher Fellow awards from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture. The award recognizes outstanding teaching of agriculture at the higher education level. July 2012

* Vladimir Krstic, professor of architecture, is the new director of the Kansas City Design Center. Located in the heart of downtown Kansas City, Mo., the center is a nationally recognized partnership of civic leaders, professional designers, and the architecture and planning programs at the University of Kansas and Kansas State University. July 2012

* Jeff Stevenson, professor of animal sciences and industry, was named a fellow of the American Society of Animal Science in the research category. He also received the Endocrinology Award the society's Physiology and Endocrinology Award. July 2012

* Barry Bradford, associate professor of animal sciences and industry, received the American Dairy Science Association's Foundation Scholar Award in Dairy Production at the association's 2012 annual meeting. July 2012

* Mike Tokach, extension specialist and professor of swine nutrition will receive the 2012 American Society of Animal Science Extension Award. He will be honored at the society’s annual meeting in Phoenix, Ariz. June 2012

* Bhadriraju "Subi" Subramanyam, professor of postharvest protection, received the Entomological Foundation Award for Excellence in Integrated Pest Management from the North Central Branch Entomological Society of America. June 2012

* Barry Flinchbaugh, professor of agricultural economics, was selected as a 2012 Leader in Agriculture Award recipient by Agriculture Future of America. The Leader in Agriculture Award is presented annually to two outstanding individuals in the agriculture industry whose personal and professional accomplishments and contributions have served them in mentoring students to be successful leaders in their careers. A recognized leader in the agriculture industry, Flinchbaugh represents the agricultural community through his active participation in the development of United States agricultural policy. June 2012

* A Fulbright award will help Joe Sutliff Sanders, assistant professor of English, further his research on one of the world's most famous cartoonists, Belgium's Hergé, the author of the "Tintin" series. Sanders will spend the spring 2013 semester teaching at the University of Luxembourg and spending some of his time at the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, home to an exclusive microfilm collection of comics by Hergé. June 2012

* The American Meat Science Association honored Melvin C. Hunt as the recipient of the 2012 American Meat Science Association R. C. Pollock Award. Hunt is internationally recognized for his expertise in meat color measurement and was the primary author of the Guidelines for Meat Color Measurement, the only comprehensive document on meat color measurement available to meat scientists. June 2012

* Kimberly Kramer was named president-elect of the Structural Engineers Association of Kansas and Missouri for 2012-2013. June 2012

* Michael Wesch, associate professor of cultural anthropology, recently received an honorary doctorate from the Universidad de San Martin de Porres, Peru's largest university. Wesch was chosen for the honor because many of his ideas have been highly influential to the university and its educational programs. May 2012

* Trevor McKeeman has been selected for the 2013 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership. McKeeman is the director of business development for the K-State Institute for Commercialization and Mid-America Technology Management Inc. He joins 121 Sloan fellows from 31 countries to comprise a class of demonstrated leaders in business, government, academic, engineering, science and entrepreneurial fields. May 2012

* Matthias Kling, assistant professor of physics, has received the Nernst-Haber-Bodenstein prize from the German Bunsen Society for Physical Chemistry. The award honors outstanding scientific achievements of young scientists in the area of physical chemistry. Kling received the award for his work on the control of electron and nuclear dynamics in molecules, in particular the laser-induced localization of electrons on femtosecond to attosecond timescales. May 2012

* Three professors of animal sciences and industry are receiving national awards at the July meeting of the American Society of Animal Science/American Dairy Science Association. Jeff Stevenson will receive the American Society of Animal Science Physiology and Endocrinology Award and will also be named a fellow of the society in the research category. Mike Tokach will receive the American Society of Animal Science Extension Award. Barry Bradford will receive the American Dairy Science Foundation Scholar Award in Dairy Production. May 2012

* Daniel Y. C. Fung will receive the 2012 GMA Food Safety Award given by the International Association for Food Protection at the association's national meeting in in July. May 2012

* Mary Molt, assistant director of the university's housing and dining services and assistant professor of hospitality management and dietetics in the College of Human Ecology, received the Gold Plate award, the highest honor given by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, for her contributions to food service operations. May 2012

* Elaine Johannes, associate professor of family studies and human services, was named a State Afterschool Champion by the Afterschool Alliance for her work on behalf of afterschool programs. She was one of just eight state champions from around the country to receive the honor. May 2012

* Anil Pahwa, professor of electrical and computer engineering, received the IEEE Power and Energy Society's Douglas M. Staszesky Distribution Automation Award. The national honor is given to those with significant contributions to the field of distribution automation. May 2012

* Trevor McKeeman has been selected for the 2013 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership. McKeeman is the director of business development for the K-State Institute for Commercialization and Mid-America Technology Management Inc. He joins 121 Sloan fellows from 31 countries to comprise a class of demonstrated leaders in business, government, academic, engineering, science and entrepreneurial fields. May 2012

* Chad Miller, assistant professor of horticulture, forestry and recreation resources, has been selected by Greenhouse Product News as one of the top 40 individuals under the age of 40 who will help shape the future of the horticulture industry. May 2012

* Margaret Presley, instructor of social work at Kansas State University Salina, has been named the 2012 Social Worker of the Year by the Smoky Hill Association of Social Workers. To be eligible for the award, the nominee must be currently providing professional social work services in central Kansas. Presley has worked in the social work field since 1970. April 2012

* Blake Belanger, assistant professor of landscape architecture in the university's College of Architecture, Planning and Design, has received the 2012 Excellence in Design Studio Teaching at the Junior Level award from the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture. The award recognizes a faculty member's ability to direct design studio projects that demonstrate outstanding quality and/or emphasize the critical thinking, creative process. April 2012

* "Diversity in Design: Perspectives from the Non-Western World," written by Vibhavari Jani, associate professor of interior architecture and product design, received top honors at the annual conference of the Interior Design Educators Council. The council's annual Book Award recognizes and honors significant books that exhibit excellence in addressing the issues of the interior design profession, including practice, scholarship and education. The book helps educators incorporate non-Western design into their teaching. April 2012

* Lisa M. Butler Harrington, professor of geography, will receive the John Fraser Hart Award for Research Excellence from the Association of American Geographers' Rural Geography Specialty Group for her rural geography research. The award will be presented at the association's 2013 national meeting in Los Angeles, where the specialty group is planning a special session in her honor. The award was established to recognize scholars who have achieved and maintained excellence in the fields of agricultural and/or rural geography research. March 2012

* Raymond "Bob" Rowland, professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, and collaborating researchers recently discovered a genetic marker that identifies pigs with reduced susceptibility to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, or PRRS. The research appeared in the Journal of Animal Science. March 2012

* Donna Potts, associate professor of English, is the author of a new book that examines the poetic traditions of Irish culture by exploring the pastoral genre, a genre in which humans have an intimate connection with the land. In "Contemporary Irish Poetry and the Pastoral Tradition," Potts examines six Irish poets in her book who have written significant collections of pastoral poetry and whose work is in dialogue with both the pastoral tradition and other contemporary pastoral poets. The book is available at local bookstores, online retailers or directly from Chicago Distribution services. March 2012

* Mary Molt, assistant director of housing and dining services, received a 2012 Silver Plate Award from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association. The award recognizes outstanding achievement and innovation in the industry and is one of the highest honors in the food industry. Molt is the second K-State recipient of this award -- ranking K-State as a leader in the food service industry. February 2012

* Noel Schulz, K-State's first lady and Paslay professor of electrical and computer engineering, has begun serving a two-year term as president of the IEEE Power and Energy Society. The worldwide, nonprofit association has more than 28,000 members engaged in the electric power energy industry. January 2012

* Kendra McLauchlan, assistant professor of geography and director of the university's Paleoenvironmental Laboratory, was named by the Ad Astra Kansas Initiative as one of the top 150 scientists ever to work in Kansas throughout its 150 years of statehood. January 2012

* Sigifredo Castro Diaz, a bioprocessing engineer at the Advanced Manufacturing Institute, was named by the Ad Astra Kansas Initiative as one of the top 150 scientists ever to work in Kansas throughout its 150 years of statehood. January 2012

 

2011 Faculty

2010 Faculty

2009 Faculty