Celebrating Excellence

Celebrating Excellence

 

2024 Excellence Award Winners

Profile photo of Sue Barton.

Sue Barton, Ph.D.

Excellence in Extension Award



Susan Barton, PhD is an extension specialist and professor in the Plant and Soil Sciences Department at the University of Delaware. She has worked with DelDOT for the past 20+ years to research and implement new roadside vegetation management strategies. She has also worked with partners to develop the Plants for a Livable Delaware Program, designed to provide alternatives to known invasive plant species and to promote sustainable landscaping. She teaches Plants and Human Culture, Landscape Drawing, Landscape Architecture Symposium, and Landscape Management, and she coordinates the Landscape Architecture/Plant Science Internship. She works closely with the nursery and landscape industry, writing newsletters, organizing short courses, and conducting horticulture industry expos with the Delaware Nursery and Landscape Association.  

Susan received the Nursery Extension Award from the American Nursery and Landscape Association in 1995 and the Ratledge Award for service from the University of Delaware in 2007. She received her SITES AP certification in the summer of 2017. In 2021, Susan received the George M. Worrilow Award from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, given to a college alumni with exemplary service to agriculture in the state.

Profile photo of Larry Armstrong.

Larry Armstrong

Excellence in Service Award (Staff)


Larry was hired in 1997 as Farm Assistant for the UD Webb Farm. Having grown up on the family farm near Smyrna, DE he developed a love for nature and being outdoors at a very young age. The family farm was his playground and also his first classroom. Life lessons learned there inspire him today.

Larry’s passion to best care for the land was most strongly exemplified by his Grandparents, John and Helen McQuail. With the support of a group of local farmers, they took Royal Dutch Shell Oil Co. to the U.S. Supreme Court, helping to create what is now the Coastal Zone Management Act. The Act protects critical estuarine habitat along Delaware’s coast from industrial development.  

A lifelong student of the natural sciences, Larry best enjoys nurturing life and helping living things to grow and thrive. This includes people, animals, plants, and even soil microbes!

Promoted to Farm Manager in 2014, Larry continues the good work of his predecessor and manages the land for the maximum benefit of all species, domestic and wild.  This is challenging yet rewarding work. His favorite saying is: “Farming is a race between weather events.” 

Reluctant to be in the spotlight, Larry prefers his work to speak for itself. He is honored when told that he is a good teacher because this is a profession he holds in the highest regard. He has the privilege to work with the best students, staff, and professors in the world.      

His past awards include the Governor’s Award for Conservation, New Castle County Conservation District’s Award for Conservation, Delaware Ornithological Society’s Conservation Award, and UD’s Green Hen Award for sustainability. After two previous nominations, he realizes the Excellence in Service Award does not come easy, and he is very proud to have his life’s work recognized by receiving this accolade. 

Profile photo of Kent Messer.

Kent Messer, Ph.D.

Excellence in Research Award (Faculty)

 

Kent Messer is the S. Hallock du Pont Professor of Applied Economics at the University of Delaware. He serves as the Director of the Center for Behavioral and Experimental Agri-Environmental Research (CBEAR), a USDA Center of Excellence. Messer’s research interests are in the nexus of agriculture and the environment. 

Messer received a BA from Grinnell College, an MS from the University of Michigan, and a PhD from Cornell University. He has published more than 120 publications and two textbooks. He has been an investigator on interdisciplinary proposals worth more than $75 million. Messer has served as editor of the Agricultural and Resource Economics Review and is an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Agricultural Economics. In 2023, he led a commission report to the US National Academy of Sciences entitled “Applications of Behavioral Economics to Climate Change.” 


 

Previous CANR EXCELLENCE AWARD Winners

CANR Inclusive Excellence Award (Faculty and Staff)

The award recognizes individuals whose work embodies UD’s Inclusive Excellence initiative to advance inclusive excellence within the institution or community.

NOMINATION FORM

Inclusive Excellence Award Winners

Recipient Award Department

2023

Jennifer Seabrook-Scott

Extension Agent

2021

Christy Mannering

Communications

2019

Dr. Tanya Gressley

Animal and Food Sciences

 

 

 

 

CANR Excellence in Research Award

(Faculty)

The award recognizes individuals that are involved in research that involves the mentoring of graduate students, post-docs, undergraduates, and/or junior faculty

NOMINATION FORM

Excellence in research award winners

Recipient Award Department

2022

Dr. Pamela Green

Plant and Soil Sciences

2020

Dr. Kali Kniel

Animal and Food Sciences

2018

Dr. Yan Jin

Plant and Soil Sciences

CANR Teaching & Advising Award

(Faculty)

The award recognizes CANR faculty involved in teaching, mentoring and advising students.
 

NOMINATION FORM

Teaching and advising award winners

Recipient Award Department

2023

Dr. Debbie Delaney

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology

2021

Dr. Thomas Ilvento

Applied Economics and Statistics

2019

Dr. Thomas Evans

Plant and Soil Sciences

2017

Dr. Joshua Duke

Applied Economics and Statistics

2015

Dr. Kali Kniel

Animal and Food Sciences

Excellence in Service
(Administrative Staff)

Recognizes superior work ethic, noteworthy performance, outstanding and meritorious service, and positive impact on the goals of the department and CANR. Administrative staff includes administrative staff, business administrators, communications, etc.

NOMINATION FORM

Excellence in Service award winners (Administrative Staff)

Recipient Award Department

2023

Susan Davis

CANR Dean's Suite

2021

Tammy Schirmer

Carvel Center

2019

Susan Biddle

Plant and Soil Sciences

2017

Michele Walfred

Carvel Center

2015

Sharon Webb

Carvel Center

CANR Excellence in Service

(Research Staff)

Recognizes superior work ethic, noteworthy performance, outstanding and meritorious service, and positive impact on the goals of the department and CANR. Research staff includes titles like Associate Scientist, Research Associate, Scientist, etc.

NOMINATION FORM

Excellence in Service award winners (Research Staff)

Recipient Award Department

2022

Adrienne Shearer

Animal and Food Sciences

2020

Tecle Weldekidan

Plant and Soil Sciences

2018

Maddi Valinski

Applied Economics and Statistics

2016

Richard Morris

Animal and Food Sciences Newark Farm

CANR Excellence in Extension

The​ ​CANR​ ​Excellence​ ​in​ ​Extension​ ​Award​ ​is​ ​based​ ​on​ ​the​ ​ECOP​ ​National​ ​Excellence​ ​in​ ​Extension Award.​ ​The​ ​CANR​ ​Excellence​ ​in​ ​Extension​ ​Award​ ​is​ ​presented​ ​in​ ​even​ ​years​ ​to​ ​an​ ​individual​ ​who has​ ​strived​ ​throughout​ ​his or her​ ​career​ ​to​ ​achieve​ ​the​ ​benchmarks​ ​reflective​ ​of​ ​excellence​ ​in Extension​ ​educational​ ​programming.​ ​​

Recipient Year

Kathleen Splane

2022

Maria Pippidis

2020

Gordon Johnson

2018

Richard Taylor

2016




William J. Benton Graduate Student Awards

 

The award is presented annually to two graduate students (one Ph.D. and one M.S.) who have excelled in research and have an outstanding record of academic accomplishments and service to their profession are eligible for nomination.

 

2024 Recipients

Anna Wockenfuss 

Anna will graduate in 2024 with a master's degree from UD's Microbiology Graduate Program. Dr. Nicole Donofrio in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences advised her. 

Anna's research investigates bacterial biological control agents to control fungal pathogens that infect economically important crops. She presented her research at the CANR symposium and the American Phytopathological Society (APS) Potomac Division meeting. In 2024, her lab published an original research article in Frontiers of Fungal Biology, where Anna had first authorship. Upon graduation, she hopes to pursue a research career.

Headshot photo of Franklin Linam

Franklin Linam

Franklin performed his Ph.D. research in the Plant and Soil Science department under Dr. Angelia Seyfferth, focusing on nutrient and contaminant cycling and plant uptake by rice in diverse paddy soils. Highlights of Franklin's time at UD included receiving a predoctoral fellowship from the USDA, publishing four first-author papers, attending eight conferences (including one in Scotland and one in China), and working extensively at synchrotron facilities.

He plans to continue researching plant nutrient and contaminant uptake in academia or at a federal agency.

Previous Benton Award Winners

Nominate a student for the Benton Graduate Student Award!

The award is presented annually to two graduate students (one Ph.D. and one M.S.) who have excelled in research and have an outstanding record of academic accomplishments and service to their profession are eligible for nomination.

NOMINATION FORM

Benton Graduate Student Award Winners

Recipient Award Department

2023

Spencer Moller

Amanda Crandall

Plant & Soil Sciences (Ph.D.)

Entomology & Wildlife Ecology (M.S.)

2022

Polina Dineva

Imogene Cancellare  

Applied Economics and Statistics (M.S.)

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (Ph.D.) 

2021

Emma Ruggiero 

Ryan Moore

Plant and Soil Sciences (M.S.)

Plant and Soil Sciences (Ph.D.)

2020

Sergio Cabrera-Cruz

Shani Craighead

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (Ph.D.)

Animal and Food Sciences (Ph.D)

2019

Alyssa Lutgen

Tyler D. Sowers 

Water Science and Policy (M.S.)

Plant and Soil Sciences (Ph.D.)

2018

Hannah L. Clipp

Desiree L. Narango

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (M.S.)

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (Ph.D.)

2017

Adrienne Shearer

Grace Savoy-Burke

Animal and Food Sciences (Ph.D)

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (M.S.)

2016

Amanda Roberson

Solny Adalsteinsson

Plant and Soil Sciences (M.S.)

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (Ph.D.)

2015

Sarah Markland

Melissa Savin

Animal and Food Sciences (Ph.D.)

Agriculture & Natural Resources (M.S.)

2014

Rebecca Kern

Allison Rogers 

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (Ph.D.)

Animal and Food Sciences (M.S.)

2013

Jacquelyn Marchese

Michelle Windle

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (M.S.)

Animal and Food Sciences (Ph.D.)

2012

Rachael Vaicunas                    

Kirsten Hirneisen                   

Jixian Zhai                               

Bioresources Engineering (M.S.)

Animal and Food Sciences (Ph.D.)

Plant and Soil Sciences (Ph.D.)

2011

Sudarshan Dutta

Jacob Fooks

Plant and Soil Sciences (Ph.D.)

Food and Resource Economics (M.S.)

2010

Zachary Ladin

Laura Nemec

Meredith Biedrzycki

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (M.S.)

Animal and Food Sciences (M.S.)

Plant and Soil Sciences (Ph.D.)

2009

Ellen Lake

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (M.S.)

2008

Hudaa Neetoo

Bridget Collins

Animal and Food Sciences (Ph.D.)

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (M.S.)

2007

Kristian Paul

Anthony Gonzon

Plant and Soil Sciences (Ph.D.)

Entomology and Wildlife Ecology (M.S.)