College of Agriculture and Life Sciences celebrates faculty, staff and students
Annual ‘College Connect’ event honors outstanding achievements, new and promoted faculty
The Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences honored faculty, staff and students at the annual “College Connect” awards event, held this year on Sept. 18 at the Shirley and Joe Swinbank ’74 AgriLife Center.
Guests gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of colleagues and students across the college. The ceremony recognized recipients of the Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Awards and The Association of Former Students College-Level Teaching Awards. The program also highlighted faculty promotions and tenure and welcomed new faculty members who joined the College in 2025.
Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences, opened the ceremony by sharing updates on the College’s growth and goals.
“College Connect is an event I look forward to every year because we get to celebrate our people,” said Savell. “The honorees represent the best of what we do: advancing research, supporting students, serving our communities and mentoring future leaders.”
Patricia Klein, Ph.D., executive associate dean, led the celebration portion of the event.
“We are defined by our people and their accomplishments,” said Klein. “Each year, we celebrate these examples of excellence that inspire us to keep striving for more.”
The Association of Former Students College-Level Teaching Awards
Since 1982, The Association of Former Students has recognized faculty who exemplify teaching excellence, uphold rigorous standards and contribute to student success.
Receiving the 2025 College-Level Teaching Awards in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are:
- Jean-Philippe Pellois, Ph.D., professor and associate department head for research, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
- Jacquelyn Grace, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
- Elena Castell-Perez, Ph.D., professor and associate department head for academic programs, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.
- Desmond Ng, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Agricultural Economics.
Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Awards
Since 2012, the Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Awards have recognized faculty, staff and students whose dedication and impact strengthen the College’s land-grant mission.
Teaching awards
- Early Career Teaching: Briana Wyatt, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
- Academic Professional Track Teaching: Navreet Mahal, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences.
- Tenure/Tenure Track Teaching: Seth Murray, Ph.D., professor and Eugene Butler Endowed Chair in Agricultural Biotechnology, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
- Educational Enrichment and Innovation: Melissa Shehane, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management.
Research awards
- Early Career Research: Chengcheng Fei, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics.
- Research: Marco Palma, Ph.D., professor, Department of Agricultural Economics and interim associate director for Responsive Agriculture, Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture.
- Research: Bhimanagouda “Bhimu” Patil, Ph.D., Regents Professor, director of the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center, Love, Tito’s Endowed Professor in Responsive Agriculture, and Leonard Pike Inaugural University Professor, Department of Horticultural Science.
Service awards
- Service: Matthew Taylor, Ph.D., professor, Department of Animal Science.
- Faculty Mentoring: Rebecca Seguin-Fowler, Ph.D., professor, Department of Nutrition, and associate director for Healthy Living, Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture.
- International Impact: Kevin Conway, Ph.D., professor, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
- Administration: Mary Bryk, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and associate dean for academic affairs, Dean’s Office.
Staff excellence awards
- Alyssa Nevis, program manager, Dean’s Office.
- Jennifer Rhinesmith-Carranza, Ph.D., director of academic advising, Dean’s Office.
- Melyssa-Anne Stricklin, senior academic advisor, Dean’s Office.
Student relations award
- Shawn Ramsey, Ph.D., professor and assistant department head, Department of Animal Science.
Student awards
- Graduate Teaching: Brianna Martin, doctoral candidate, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
- Undergraduate Research: Carmen Reisdorf, undergraduate student research assistant, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
- Graduate Research: Danial Nayeri, doctoral student, Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management.
Promoted and/or tenured faculty
The following College of Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty members were promoted or received tenure this year:
- Felipe Aburto, Ph.D., associate professor with tenure, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
- Kevin Conway, Ph.D., professor, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
- Rebecca Creasy Buckley, Ph.D., instructional associate professor, Department of Food Science and Technology.
- Youjun Deng, Ph.D., professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
- Yuhua Farnell, Ph.D., instructional associate professor, Department of Poultry Science.
- Jason Gill, Ph.D., professor, Department of Animal Science.
- Nicholas Kilmer, senior lecturer, Department of Agricultural Economics.
- Miok Lee, Ph.D., senior lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
- Janie McClurkin Moore, Ph.D., associate professor with tenure, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.
- Oscar Riera-Lizarazu, Ph.D., professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences.
- Daniel Spalink, Ph.D., associate professor with tenure, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
- Donna Lee Sullins, Ph.D., instructional associate professor, Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.
- Maria Isabel Vales, Ph.D., professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences.
- Briana Wyatt, Ph.D., associate professor with tenure, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
- Samuel Zapata, Ph.D., associate professor with tenure, Department of Agricultural Economics.
- Junjie Zhang, Ph.D., professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
Faculty members who went through tenure review upon hire
- Jungkeun Kim, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.
- Teresa Davis, Ph.D., professor, Department of Nutrition, and director of the Institute for Advancing Health through Agriculture.
- Jinyang Deng, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.
- Ashley Long, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management
- Shuyu Liu, Ph.D., professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences
New faculty
New faculty members joining the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 2025 include:
- Ian Ausprey, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
- Maria Bampasidou, Ph.D., research associate professor, Department of Agricultural Economics.
- Tad Campbell, clinical assistant professor, Department of Nutrition.
- Baoxin Chang, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
- Michael Chao, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Animal Science.
- Kyoungin Choe, Ph.D., lecturer, Department of Agricultural Economics.
- Chad Coburn, senior lecturer, Department of Animal Science.
- Qianqian Dong, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
- Eric Duell, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
- Sylvie Estrela, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Nutrition.
- Todd Franks, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management.
- Thanos Gentimis, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.
- Tanya Hamner, assistant professor of the practice, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
- Elizabeth Haney, assistant professor of the practice, Department of Animal Science.
- James Hogan, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
- Jerrad Legako, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Animal Science.
- Toby Lepley, Ph.D., visiting lecturer, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
- Xin “Anna” Li, visiting lecturer, Department of Agricultural Economics.
- Anyu Liu, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.
- Shannon Norris-Parish, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
- Harun Onder, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Agricultural Economics
- Congrong Ouyang, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics.
- Judit Penzes, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Entomology.
- Antonio Rodrigues, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology.
- Lorenzo Rossi, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences.
- Xiaolong Shao, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism.
- Dana Smith, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor, Department of Nutrition.
- Allyson Spears, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
- Erin Stutts, assistant professor of the practice, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
- Andrej Svyantek, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences.
- Uday Bhanu Prakash Vaddevolu, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.
- Stacy Vincent, Ph.D., professor and department head, Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications.
- Sid Walker, visiting lecturer, Department of Agricultural Economics.
- Kelie Yoho, Ph.D., instructional assistant professor, Department of Entomology.
- Xu Zhang, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology.
- Bo Zhou, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
- Mingyan Zhu, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
Awards photos will be available following the event on Texas A&M AgriLife PhotoShelter.
