Faculty Awards And Service, Spring 2010

Kenealy Earns USDA Excellence In Teaching Award

Douglas Kenealy (’69 dairy science, ’74 PhD animal nutrition), professor of animal science, received the annual USDA Food and Agricultural Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award. Kenealy was one of two people to receive the national award, which encompasses all the food and agricultural disciplines. The award is based on teaching quality, philosophy and methodology; service to the profession and students; and professional growth and development.

Lawrence Named CALS Associate Dean For Extension

John Lawrence, economics, has been named College of Agriculture and Life Sciences associate dean of extension and outreach and director of Extension to Agriculture and Natural Resources. Lawrence (’84 animal science, ’86 MS economics) replaces Gerald Miller who stepped down in March. Lawrence previously served as director of ISU’s Iowa Beef Center.

Miller Serves As Interim Vice President For Extension

Longtime ISU faculty member and administrator Gerald “Jerry” Miller has been appointed interim vice president for extension and outreach, effective June 1. Miller (’71 MS agronomy, ’74 PhD) will succeed Jack Payne, vice president for extension and outreach since 2006, who accepted a position at the University of Florida, Gainesville. Miller recently stepped down as the associate dean for extension programs and outreach and the director of Extension to Agriculture and Natural Resources in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

AGRONOMY PROF NAMED AAAS FELLOW

Michael Thompson, professor of agronomy, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is studying the environmental applications of soil science, including the molecular-scale interactions of organic chemicals with soil minerals and organic matter.

In Memoriam: Lee Kolmer, Former Dean Of Agriculture

Former Dean of Agriculture Lee Kolmer died Jan. 18 at Kavanaugh Hospice in Des Moines from congestive heart failure. He was 82. Kolmer (’52 MS ag economics, ’54 PhD) began his tenure as dean in 1972 and led the college through the farm crisis of the 1980s. Kolmer served Iowa State for most of his career. First as an Extension economist, then as Extension’s state leader for agricultural and economic development, then as assistant dean of University Extension. His 14-year tenure as dean is especially remembered for his focus on increasing financial investment in agricultural research, expanding the college’s international efforts and securing funds for scholarships and several college facilities. Kolmer was featured in the Spring 2008 issue of STORIES in Agriculture and Life Sciences.  To read the story visit  http://stories.cals.iastate.edu/archives/2008spring/kolmer.php.

Hearty Hellos

• James Bushnell, formerly of the University of California Energy Institute, has been named Iowa State’s first Cargill Endowed Chair in Energy Economics. He’ll also lead Iowa State’s Biobased Industry Center as an associate professor of economics.
• Rebecca Christoffel has joined the natural resource ecology and management department as an assistant professor and ISU Extension wildlife specialist.

Fond Farewells

• Jerry DeWitt has retired after more than 30 years with ISU. DeWitt joined the entomology faculty in 1972. He worked in administration for ISU Extension, the National Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program of the USDA, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and, most recently, at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
• Roger Ginder, professor in economics, has retired after 32 years of working with and for Iowa cooperatives. His research focused on agribusiness finance and management, cooperatives and agricultural marketing.

For a complete list of new faculty and staff in the college and a winners of college awards view the pdf convocation program.