Texas A&M AgriLife Vice Chancellor’s Awards in Excellence honor faculty, staff

Texas A&M AgriLife faculty, staff and graduate students from across the state will be recognized with Vice Chancellor’s Awards in Excellence honors at Texas A&M AgriLife Connect ceremonies on Jan. 7.

Since 1980, the agency has annually recognized individuals and teams who have made exceptional contributions with the Vice Chancellor’s Awards in Excellence, the highest employee awards given by Texas A&M AgriLife.

All recipients of awards serve within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Research,  Texas A&M Forest Service, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, and organization-wide at Texas A&M AgriLife. 

Awards in Research

Early Career Research

Kiran Gadhave, Ph.D., AgriLife Research entomologist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Amarillo and assistant professor, Texas A&M Department of Entomology, is the Early Career Research Award winner. Gadhave is pioneering interdisciplinary work with insect vector biology and plant virology. His program explores the fundamental mechanisms that govern viral pathogenesis, vector transmission and host resistance, with a mission to protect crops through advances that combine RNA-based pesticides, gene-editing techniques and sustainable practices. He has secured more than $5 million in research funding and is moving promising discoveries toward commercialization.

Mid-Career Research

Shuyu Liu, Ph.D., AgriLife Research wheat breeder and genetics and genomics professor, Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Bryan-College Station, is the Mid-Career Research Award winner. Liu’s research program focuses on wheat cultivar development for farmers and the genetic understanding of important agronomic traits. He established doubled haploid development and genomic prediction and integrated them into wheat breeding pipelines. These tools can cut years from breeding timelines. He has published more than 100 highly cited scientific papers. For his many contributions, the Crop Science Society of America chose him as a Fellow this year.

Research

The Research Award winner is Chaodong Wu, M.D., Ph.D., AgriLife Research Senior Faculty Fellow and professor, Texas A&M Department of Nutrition, Bryan-College Station. Wu studies how diet and inflammation drive obesity-related diseases, including diabetes and liver disease. His goal is to understand the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of obesity and overnutrition-associated metabolic diseases so novel dietary and/or pharmacological approaches can be developed. His work has led to new strategies for prevention and treatment and has elevated Texas A&M University’s reputation in nutrition obesity research. His work is supported by more than $12 million in funding.

Graduate Student Research

Danial Nayeri, graduate assistant, Texas A&M Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, is the Graduate Student Research Award winner. Nayeri’s research tackles urgent challenges in biodiversity conservation by linking ecological science with human behavior, emphasizing the importance of integrating social dynamics. In two years at Texas A&M, he has published 19 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals and earned 18 competitive grants. What’s more, he has served as a reviewer for 18 international journals. One nominator shared: “His research record would already make him eligible for tenure at most universities.”

Technical and Programmatic Staff

Nichole Cherry, senior research associate at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Stephenville, is the Technical and Programmatic Staff Award recipient. Cherry has spent more than two decades ensuring research success at the Texas A&M AgriLife center at Stephenville. She manages multiple labs, trains students and visiting scholars, and supports projects that advance forage and livestock systems. Her expertise lies in forage analysis — particularly forage quality and condensed tannins — supporting researchers, producers and students across Texas, the U.S. and internationally.  

Awards in Teaching

Tenured/Tenure Track Teaching

Jennifer Strong, Ph.D., Citron Endowed Professor, Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, is the Tenured/Tenure Track Teaching Award recipient. Strong has spent 15 years helping thousands of students become robust thinkers and learners through her courses on leadership and educational practices. Her passion for teaching shines through study abroad programs, leadership fellowships and creative classroom strategies. When students weren’t connecting with a textbook, she wrote a new one that’s now used at five other universities. Her work has earned her some of the highest teaching honors at Texas A&M and far beyond.

Academic Professional Track Teaching

Miok Lee, Ph.D., senior lecturer, Texas A&M Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, is the Academic Professional Track Teaching Award winner. In Lee’s classrooms, genetics becomes engaging, interactive and welcoming. She offers personalized support to the point of writing a textbook geared to her students’ needs. She also designed an advanced course where students explore current issues and meet industry and research speakers. Her passion for teaching and her care for students have opened doors to graduate programs, medical schools and research opportunities for countless Aggies.

Graduate Student Teaching

Jacob Muras, graduate teaching assistant, Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences, is the Graduate Student Teaching Award winner. Muras is committed to advancing viticulture in the state by bridging novel genomic and molecular approaches with practical solutions for growers, supporting the growth of the Texas wine industry. He has made a lasting impact on horticulture education, guiding hundreds of students and mentoring fellow teaching assistants while creating engaging lab experiences. His teaching philosophy centers on connecting science to practice, empowering students to understand how a technique works and why it is used in practice.

Student Success and Relations

The Student Success and Relations Award winner is Jenna Kurten, Ph.D., assistant dean for student success, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Kurten serves as the strategic and operational champion for student retention, engagement and graduation for the College. Her work is deeply rooted in a holistic perspective on student success, using both analytical evidence and meaningful interactions with students to support student outcomes. She is dedicated to helping students thrive. Kurten created ASCEND, a program that builds leadership and networking skills, and launched initiatives like the Pocket Pantry and Career Closet to support student well-being.

Awards in AgriLife Extension

County Agent

Grant Davis, agriculture and natural resources agent, Rusk County, is the Extension Education-County Agent Award winner. Davis brings infectious enthusiasm and creativity to AgriLife Extension in Rusk County. His ability to tailor programs to meet the needs of diverse audiences ensures his efforts resonate widely and foster sustainable agricultural practices. For example, he revitalized the county hay show, creating a hands-on learning experience for youth, while also educating producers. Through partnerships with local groups like Master Gardeners and beekeepers, his work builds relationships, strengthens communities and ensures East Texas agriculture thrives.

Extension Specialist/Program Specialist/Extension Associate

Tiffany Lashmet, J.D., AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Amarillo and professor in the Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Economics, is the AgriLife Extension Specialist Award recipient. Lashmet makes complex legal issues — like water rights, property laws, leases and estate planning — clear and practical for Texans. Through programs like Owning Your Piece of Texas, her blog with over 5 million views and her widely downloaded podcast, she ensures vital information reaches every corner of the state. Her dedication has earned national recognition and the trust of the people she serves.

Awards in Service

Public Service in Forestry

Eric Taylor, Ph.D., Texas A&M Forest Service silviculturist V and AgriLife Extension forestry specialist, is the Public Service in Forestry Award winner. Taylor has spent his career helping landowners manage forests with practical, science-based solutions. He leads programs that make complex tools accessible and secures major grants to expand opportunities for small-acreage landowners. He also mentors students and brings together professionals across states to share knowledge. As one nominator shared, “Eric’s creativity, dedication and measurable impact on forestry make him a vital asset to our profession.”

Diagnostic Services

Julie Piccione, Ph.D., Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory assistant agency director for clinical pathology, is the Diagnostic Services Award recipient. She joined TVMDL in 2015 as the section head for the College Station lab’s clinical pathology section and was promoted to her current role in 2021. Piccione oversees the agency’s clinical pathology, parasitology and endocrinology testing services in College Station and Canyon. During her tenure at TVMDL, she has elevated the agency’s commitment to accurate and timely diagnostic testing. She was integral in developing one of TVMDL’s most popular services, digital cytology.

Awards for Staff

Business Operational Staff

Sandra Welch, senior business administrator II, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton, is the Business Operational Staff Award winner. Welch has devoted 58 years to shaping the success of the Overton Center. She manages finances, budgets, payroll and purchasing — making sure the lights stay on, the bills get paid and the work gets done. She supervises a diverse team of five employees, each with unique roles, fostering a collaborative and efficient work environment. Welch is the first person employees turn to for help, and her door is always open. Her dedication ensures researchers and educators can focus on serving Texans.

Administrative and Programmatic Staff

Lacrecia Garza, AgriLife Extension administrative associate III, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Amarillo, is the Administrative and Programmatic Support Staff Award recipient. Garza has spent six years making life easier for the specialists she serves, handling workshop planning and dealing with everything from program evaluations to publications to customer service. Her attention to detail, tireless work ethic and servant’s heart have transformed programs and boosted success across the Panhandle. Her team describes Garza as “truly the heart of the team and a shining example of excellence in service.”

AgriLife Professional Service Units Staff

Blair Fannin, Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications media relations manager and AgriLife Extension Disaster Assessment and Recovery Unit public information officer, is the Professional Service Units Staff Award winner. Fannin ensures critical information reaches Texans quickly and clearly. When wildfires swept through the Panhandle, he coordinated dozens of media interviews and positioned Texas A&M AgriLife as a trusted source of information. But Fannin’s service goes beyond disasters. He has mentored young communicators, taught media writing and helped create wildfire and agricultural practice guides requested by the Texas Legislature.

Awards for International Involvement

International Involvement

Endang Septiningsih, Ph.D., professor of rice genetics and genomics, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, is the International Involvement Award winner. Septiningsih is world-renowned for her work in global rice improvement. Her research on the genetic characterization and molecular breeding of genes for flooding tolerance in rice has gathered international attention. She also has international collaborations on molecular breeding, iron toxicity and gene editing in chickpeas. Just as impressive is her commitment to people. She has mentored students and visiting scholars from 18 countries, building a network of future scientists who will carry this work forward.

Award for Administration

Charles Long, Ph.D., director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton, is the Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence for Administration winner. Long has led the Texas A&M AgriLife center at Overton for more than four decades with vision and generosity. He has secured land, equipment and funding for the center. His financial stewardship has strengthened the center’s capacity to support cutting-edge research and maintain its reputation as a hub of agricultural innovation. Under his leadership, his faculty’s achievements translate into better forage and livestock systems, improved crop varieties and best practices that boost Texas agriculture.

Award for Special Services

Mallory Pfeifer, Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory communications manager, is the Special Services Award recipient. Pfeifer has spent eight years ensuring TVMDL communicates with exceptional clarity and care. As the only full-time communications professional at TVMDL, her day-to-day responsibilities vary from writing, video production, digital media, graphic design and other tasks to inform and educate TVMDL’s stakeholders. From crisis communications to creative outreach, she makes complex science understandable for everyone. She recently led the redesign of TVMDL’s website, improving access and strengthening client trust.

Awards for Collaboration

Partnership

The Partnership Award winner is the New World Screwworm Partnership, including the Texas A&M Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications, Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, AgriLife Extension and AgriLife Research. When New World screwworms began moving north toward Texas, this partnership sprang into action. Screwworms attack warm-blooded animals, causing severe wounds and even death if untreated. An outbreak could cost Texas billions in livestock and wildlife losses. The partnership brought together experts from across Texas A&M AgriLife. They created easy-to-understand fact sheets, a one-stop web hub and a public campaign. They built a toolkit for local agents and hosted a webinar that drew over 3,000 participants. Their outreach reached millions through news stories and social platforms. These collaborators continue to work together to help protect animals, livelihoods and communities across Texas.

Team

The Team Award winner is the Texas A&M Biological Nitrification Inhibition Team. The team members are: Nithya Rajan, Ph.D., professor of agronomy and agroecology and director of the Center for Greenhouse Gas Management; Bill Rooney, Ph.D., sorghum breeder, Regents Professor and Borlaug-Bayer Chair for Crop Improvement; Sakiko Okumoto, Ph.D., associate professor; Shuyu Liu, Ph.D., wheat breeder and professor; and Muthu Bagavathiannan, Ph.D., weed scientist and Billie Turner Professor of Agronomy, all with the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences; and Sanjay Antony-Babu, Ph.D., microbiologist and assistant professor, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology. The Texas A&M BNI Team has made great strides working with a natural plant trait called “biological nitrification inhibition,” or BNI. This trait helps crops keep nitrogen in the soil longer, reducing fertilizer needs and preventing nutrient loss to water and air. Since 2015, the team has built global partnerships and earned major research grants. Those include a $3.82 million award to develop sorghum that thrives with less nitrogen. The team’s work saves farmers money, protects the environment and supports food security. By combining expertise in plant breeding, soil science and microbiology, they’ve positioned Texas A&M as a leader in sustainable farming.

Photos from the awards ceremony will be available on Jan. 8 at Texas A&M AgriLife PhotoShelter.