IANR faculty, staff honored at awards luncheon

December 5, 2016

Lincoln, Neb. — Faculty and staff from the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska­–Lincoln were honored at an awards luncheon on Dec. 1 at the Nebraska East Union. Interim IANR Vice Chancellor Ron Yoder was on hand to present awards for outstanding service in 2016. 

Awards presented, nominees and recipients were:

Outstanding Employee Award: The award recognizes employees who have gone above and beyond their job responsibilities. Recipients receive $750, a certificate and a lapel pin.

• Recipient: Jennifer Greenlee, office associate, Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication Department – Greenlee coordinates career development events for the department and also serves as the graduate student secretary. She manages the ALEC website and was instrumental in its redesign to better serve current and future students, faculty and stakeholders. Greenlee’s nominator said she offers supreme service to faculty and plays a monumental role in the success of graduate students.
• Recipient: Sue Ellen Pegg, college relations director, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources – Pegg oversees all areas of undergraduate student recruitment for the College. She has worked to connect future students with their interest areas since August of 2008. Pegg teaches by example, according to her nominator, adding she has the integrity and personality to challenge our students to excel while maintaining their trust and respect as a friend.
• Recipient: Carrie Snyder, financial specialist, Department of Animal Science and School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Business Center – In her role, Synder manages the pre-awards grants process, assists faculty with grant budget preparations and submissions, and assists the business center manager with daily operations. Her nominator said Snyder has raised the bar for the position and continues to expand the breadth and scope of her job.
• Nominees: Jared Evert, financial and office management specialist, Agricultural Research Division; Kim Gieseking, financial specialist, IANR Finance and Personnel Office; Catia Guerrero, administrative associate, Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies; Timothy Harris, research technologist, Plant Pathology Department; Carol Hegel, office associate, Department of Biochemistry; Karen Hegel, assistant manager, Greater Nebraska Business Center; Karen Jackson, coordinator of advising and academic program enhancement, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources; Juliet Okuom, assistant business manager, Filley Hall Business Center; Amber Patterson, office associate, Department of Biological Systems Engineering; Hue Tran, research technologist, Veterinary Diagnostic Center; Sue Walker business manager, HAPPI Business Center.

Omtvedt Servant Leader Award: The award recognizes outstanding managerial/professional and office/service employees. This award is made possible through the generosity of Lee Harlan and her late husband, Neal, in honoring Irv Omtvedt and his distinguished career at the university. Recipients receive $1,000 and a plaque.

• Recipient: Deb DeWald, personnel generalist, AVE Busienss Center, Department of Animal Science and School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences – DeWald has worked in IANR for 20 years, beginning as an office associate, then graduate program secretary and payroll clerk. She received the IANR Office/Service Award in 1999 and the University of Nebraska Board of Regents Kudos Award in 2002. DeWald truly cares about the impact of her job on the department, institute and university, according to her nominator.

Dinsdale Family Faculty Award: The award honors faculty members for outstanding teaching, research and outreach at IANR. It is especially focused on untenured and non-tenured track faculty who have demonstrated a strong commitment to academic excellence. Recipients receive $2,000 and a plaque.

• Recipient: Tomas Helikar, assistant professor, Department of Biochemistry – Helikar’s research centers around computational modeling of biological and biochemical processes to understand their complex dynamics under healthy and diseased states, and to provide a new approach to learning and teaching about biological systems through hands-on model simulations.
• Nominees: Dipti Dev, assistant professor, Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies; James MacDonald, associate professor, Department of Animal Science; Amanda Ramer-Tait, assistant professor, Department of Food Science and Technology; Leah Sandall, distance education coordinator, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture; John Thomas, cropping and water systems extension educator, Panhandle Research and Extension Center; Dirac Twidwell, assistant professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.

Omtvedt Innovation Award: This award recognizes exceptional service for innovative research and teaching. Recipients receive $2,500 and a plaque.

• Recipient: Jiri Adamec, associate professor, Department of Biochemistry, director of Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facilities at Redox Biology Center – Adamec’s research interests are developing cutting-edge technologies that focus on proteomics and metabolomics approaches to systems biology and their application to biological problems involving determination proteins that may serve as biomarkers of specific disease. Adamec is also the co-founder of two companies; Novilytic provides analytical tools and methods for the identification and study of biomarkers; and SaniBridge develops technology for clients to monitor their wellness biomarkers in plasma in their homes and integrate data from various fitness devices into a single mobile application to provide them with a real-time and comprehensive overview of their wellness level.
• Recipient: Carlos Urrea, associate professor and dry bean breeding specialist, Panhandle Research and Extension Center – Urrea’s research focuses on dry bean breeding to select plants that are disease resistant and have desirable qualities related to water efficiency, minimum tillage and more upright architecture, allowing direct harvesting. He has developed germplasm for black beans, Great Northern Beans, chick peas, and Great Northern cultivar. Urrea is also working with the USDA Agricultural Research Service Tropical Agricultural Research Station at Puerto Rico to develop drought-tolerant dry bean germplasm lines.
• Nominee: Andrea Cupp, Irvin T. and Wanda R. Omtvedt Professor, Department of Animal Science.

The awards, coordinated by the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, recognize faculty and staff members who advance the mission of the University in teaching, research, extension and service.

To learn more about IANR faculty and staff awards, visit http://ianr.unl.edu/ianr-awards-and-recognition.