Lincoln, Neb. — Six faculty members and one faculty-led team project within the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources were recognized Sept. 21 during the annual Distinguished Faculty Celebration at the Nebraska East Union.
The event celebrated faculty members who have received endowed chairs or professorships, as well as the 2023 faculty award recipients. Those honored during the event are:
Rebecca Roston, associate professor of biochemistry and associate director of the Center for Plant Science Innovation, who was named the Ralph and Alice Raikes Chair in Plant Sciences
Sathish Kumar Natarajan, assistant professor of nutrition and health sciences, who received the Dinsdale Family Faculty Award
Bryon Chaves, assistant professor and food safety Extension specialist, who received the Dinsdale Family Faculty Award
Xin Qiao, associate professor of biological systems engineering at the Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center, who received Omtvedt Innovation Award for Extension
Derek Heeren, associate professor of biological systems engineering and Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute faculty fellow, who received the Omtvedt Innovation Award for Teaching
Thomas Helikar, Susan J. Rosowski professor of biochemistry, who received the Omtvedt Innovation Award for Research
The SENSE Fertigation Team, which received the Omtvedt Innovation Award for Team. Team members include Joe Luck, professor of biological systems engineering; Jackson Stansell, graduate student and founder of Sentinel Fertigation; Brian Krienke, former soils Extension educator; Tyler Smith, research manager; Samantha (Teten) Kortbein, graduate student; Daran Rudnick, associate professor of biological systems engineering and coordinator of the Water and Integrated Cropping Systems Hub; and Taylor Cross, graduate student.
“It is an honor to celebrate the dedication of our faculty to research, teaching and extension at this event each year,” said IANR Associate Vice Chancellor Rich Bischoff. “IANR has a truly incredible, world-class faculty, which the accomplishments of the faculty celebrated at this event exemplify.”