Gamma Sigma Delta Announces 2004 Award Recipients
and Inductees

The University of Tennessee chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the international honor society for agriculture, announced its 2004 award recipients on November 4 at the annual fall initiation and awards banquet.

Gamma Sigma Delta is a faculty-governed society that selects its members from junior and senior students, graduate students, faculty and alumni for the promotion and recognition of high achievement. While Gamma Sigma Delta is an honor society of agriculture, it may elect members from related fields such as biology, botany, chemistry, economics, entomology, forestry, home economics, plant pathology, sociology, statistics, veterinary medicine and zoology when the work of the individuals is related to agriculture.

Student awards for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the College of Veterinary Medicine are based upon academic performance. In the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the Outstanding Freshman Award went to Elizabeth Irene Curry, animal science. The Outstanding Sophomore was Robert Alexander Hull, environmental science, and the Outstanding Junior was Lindsey Elaine Houchens, wildland recreation.

In the College of Veterinary Medicine, the First Year Awards went to Lacey Ann Davis and Lisa Marie Grupka. The Second Year Awards went to Stephanie Hosford Davis and Kara Lynn Watson. Mary Lauren Louisa Mesich received the Third Year Award.

Merit Awards were based upon nominations by colleagues. D. Ray Humberd, retired associate dean, received the Alumni Award of Merit for his long and distinguished career with the UT Agricultural Extension Service.

Dr. John Henton is the first faculty member from the College of Veterinary Medicine to receive the Excellence in Teaching Award. Henton teaches undergraduate students and first-year and third-year veterinary students, and he also travels across the state making presentations to horse production groups. He is the coordinator of the college’s continuing education, outreach and alumni relations efforts.

The Research Award was given to associate professor of plant sciences, Dr. Vince Pantalone. Pantalone's research program emphasizes applied, field-oriented and molecular genetics research targeting the development of improved soybean cultivars.

James Neel, an animal science professor, received the Extension Award for his 30 years of work as an Extension beef cattle specialist.

The Distinguished Achievement in Agriculture Award went to Dr. Fred Allen, a plant sciences professor. Allen served as head of the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences before becoming UTIA Director of Variety Trials.

The Team Award went to a group of five professors who were part of the Cloning Team. Members from the Department of Animal Science include J. Lannett Edwards, assistant professor; F. Neal Schrick, associate professor; and Stephen P. Oliver, professor. Team members from the College of Veterinary Medicine Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences include Fred M. Hopkins, professor, and Sarel R. van Amstel, associate professor.

The following graduate students were inducted into Gamma Sigma Delta:

Derek W. Bailey, Entomology & Plant Pathology
Linda S. Baxter, Agricultural Education
Laura L. Cantwell, Agricultural Economics
Gena Dawson, Agricultural Economics
Stephanie H. Davis, Veterinary Medicine
James Griffin, Agricultural Economics
Andrew D. Haddow, Entomology & Plant Pathology
Heather M. Hart, Environmental Soil Sciences
Faith Johnson, Food Science & Technology
Stacey Leonatti, Veterinary Medicine
LaQuita M. Michael, Food Science & Technology
Carolina Naar, Food Microbiology
Sukanya Rattanatabtimtong, Plant Breeding
Adrienne L. Roach, Biosystems Engineering & Environmental Science
David M. Sanders, Entomology & Plant Pathology
Andrew M. Scaboo, Plant Sciences
Youngho Seo, Soil Science
Naomi R. Smith, Entomology & Plant Pathology
Michelle L. Stumbo, Agriculture & Extension Education
Matthew Taylor, Food Science & Technology
Willie Taylor, Food Science & Technology
David Toplon, Veterinary Medicine
Huong Mai Tran, Plant Sciences
Jon E. Travis, Agricultural Economics
Kara Watson, Veterinary Medicine
Jennifer C. Webb, Veterinary Medicine
Alanna F. Webster, Veterinary Medicine
Melinda J. Wilson, Fisheries
Tao Wu, Food Science & Technology
Denita Hadziabdic, Entomology & Plant Pathology

The following undergraduate students were initiated into Gamma Sigma Delta:

Lydia Briggs, Animal Science
Patrick Dobbs, BioSystems Engineering & Environmental Science
M. Elliott Hallum, Plant Sciences
Matthew Allen Lane, Animal Science
Katie Allison Noe, Animal Science
Matthew JoAllen Quillen, Animal Science
Gretchen E. Schrock, Animal Science
Jessica E. Smith, Plant Sciences
Bryn Takle, Plant Sciences
Terri S. Taylor, Plant Sciences
Carol White, Food Science & Technology

Svetlana Zivanovic, an assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology, was also inducted as a faculty member.

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Compiled by Samantha Hill, editorial intern in UTIA Marketing and Communications Services.