Agricultural and life sciences faculty honored at banquet

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences honored seven faculty members at the Gamma Sigma Delta awards banquet April 11. Those receiving awards were selected by their colleagues. The awards and honorees are:

• Spitze Land Grant Faculty Award for Excellence: Bill Reznikoff, Department of Biochemistry, does landmark studies of the structure of genes and the elements that control their expression, and is dedicated to teaching and mentoring.
• Pound Research Award: Andrew Bent, Department of Plant Pathology, researches how plants recognize pathogens and then send signals that activate plant defense systems.
• Pound Extension Award: John Stier, Department of Horticulture, has earned high praise from Wisconsin’s turf industries for Extension programming and applied research efforts.
• Spitzer Teaching Award: Walter Goodman, Department of Entomology, illustrates the principles of biology with insects.
• Jung Teaching Award: Diana Downs, Department of Bacteriology, emphasizes critical thinking in her courses, and welcomes undergraduates into her lab for research experience.
• Outstanding Teaching and Advising Award: James Ntambi, Department of Biochemistry, is a highly rated lecturer who takes students to Uganda where they study and conduct research.
• J.S. Donald Short Course Teaching Awards: Jack Rutledge, Department of Animal Sciences, and Roger Palmer, Department of Dairy Science. Rutledge has developed innovative methods for teaching the genetic principles behind animal breeding. Palmer’s course covers the broad range of dairy systems in Wisconsin, and he helps students see future possibilities.