COA/MAES Awards of Excellence
Faculty and staff members can make nominations to their department head for the annual College of Ag/Montana Ag Experiment Station Awards of Excellence.
The 2023-24 Awards of Excellence have been announced! You can read about our recipients below.
2023-2024 Award Recipients
NACTA Teaching Award of Merit for Faculty
Dr. Hayes Goosey, assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences and an MSU Extension specialist, was recognized by nominators and students for his commitment to equipping students with practical skills for the real world. He was also recognized for the experiential learning opportunities that he provides for students, inspiring and helping them to engage deeply with course material. He was nominated particularly for his deep support of students’ professional development, his commitment to educating through means beyond traditional lectures, his mentoring of both students and MSU Extension colleagues around the state, and his integration of real-world issues into classroom teaching.
NACTA Teaching Award of Merit for Graduate Students
Amanda Grube, PhD student in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences, was recognized for the great student benefit brought about through creative and innovative activities inspired by experience working with a county conservation district. As a graduate teaching assistant, Amanda has shown initiative, reliability and willingness to help any student. Both students and faculty recognized her excellence as an educator and a graduate student, her positivity and support of those around her, her ability to translate complex topics and her genuine love for learning.
Transformative Teaching Award
Dr. Michael Walach, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Technology Education, was recognized for his dynamic and immersive learning experiences and his dedication to creating opportunities for students both within the classroom and beyond. In addition to classroom teaching, he is recognized for his commitment to experiential learning through the NASA atmospheric balloon project, which inspired students to explore the world more deeply. Supporters of his nomination specifically noted his talent for creating engaging and enriching student experiences, his enthusiasm for teaching, his broad technical knowledge and his focus on student success.
Meritorious Service Award
Amy Bowser, Pesticide Education Technician for the Department of Animal and Range Sciences and MSU Extension, is responsible for numerous publications including fact sheets, newsletters, MontGuides and manuals related to pesticides. She has demonstrated her dedication to supporting the state's producers, consistently going above and beyond to share information, keep resources up to date, and assist stakeholders and colleagues. Nominators called her accomplishments “exceptional,” and she was commended for her unwavering commitment to high-quality work, her excellent communication skills and her dedication to service and education beyond the scope of her role.
Impactful Outreach and Community Engagement Award
Dr. Adam Sigler, assistant professor in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences and an MSU Extension specialist, was recognized by nominees for his contributions to water quality education in Montana and his work on the Judith River Watershed nitrate leaching project, educating producers at field days, and with the MSU Well Educated program educating well owners and protecting groundwater. Nominators highlighted Dr. Sigler’s personal interaction with stakeholders and dedication to public education, his dissemination of knowledge through interviews, newsletters and presentations, the diversity of his engagement activities to reach the broadest possible audience and his commitment to the important issue of water quality for all Montanans.
Excellence in Research and Discovery Award
Dr. Perry Miller, professor in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, was nominated for his extensive body of work in pulse and oilseed crops and cropping systems. His research productivity has been exceptional, he has accumulated a significant body of work and his discoveries have made a lasting impact on his discipline as well as his students. His nominators commended his ability to discern crucial research questions, is passionate support for pulse crops in Montana, his commitment to communicating directly with producers to answer their questions and his status as a world authority on dryland agronomic research.
Award Categories
The annual awards are as follows:
- Meritorious Service Award
- NACTA Teaching Award of Merit for Faculty
- NACTA Teaching Award of Merit for Graduate Students (limit 1 nominee per department)
- Transformational Teaching Award
- Excellence in Research and Discovery Award
- Impactful Outreach and Engagement Award
Past Winners
Meritorious Service Award |
Transformational Teaching Award |
| 2024: Amy Bowser, ARS | 2024: Michael Walach, DATE |
| 2023: Ileana Yates-Johnson, MCB | 2023: Ryan Thum, PSPP |
| 2022: Susan Cooper, ARS | 2022: Jennifer Lachowiec, PSPP |
| 2021: Julia Dafoe, DRC | 2021: Michelle Flenniken, PSPP |
| 2020: Mike Ivie, PSPP | 2020: Nick Fox, LRES |
NACTA Teaching Award of Merit for Faculty |
Excellence in Research and Discovery Award |
| 2024: Hayes Goosey, ARS | 2024: Perry Miller, LRES |
| 2023: Jennifer Lachowiec, PSPP | 2023: Chaofu Lu, PSPP |
| 2022: Sarah McCoski, ARS | 2022: Carl Yeoman, ARS |
| 2021: Jennifer Thomson, ARS | 2021: Lisa Rew, LRES |
| 2020: Ryan Thum, PSPP | 2020: Eric Boyd, MCB |
NACTA Teaching Award of Merit for Graduate Students |
Impactful Outreach and Engagement Award |
| 2024: Amanda Grube | 2024: Adam Sigler, LRES |
| 2023: Brandon Tillett and Vinicius Alves Cruz | 2023: Hayes Goosey, ARS |
| 2022: Emma Kubinski and Eden Manuel | 2022: Megan VanEmon, ARS |
| 2021: Bryce Currey, Justin Gay and Marley Manoukian | 2021: George Haynes, DAEE |
| 2020: Sam Carlson and Joe Jensen | 2020: Jeff Mosley, ARS |
Award Descriptions and Criteria
Meritorious Service Award
Recognizes staff and professionals for their dedication and service to the College of Agriculture and/or the Montana Agricultural Research Station. The COA/MAES values service in its many forms, recognizing that are invaluable to sparking innovation and engagement and helps students, faculty, and staff be more effective in scholarship, teaching, and outreach/engagement.
Eligibility
All staff and professionals in the COA/MAES.
Selection Criteria
Evidence of service excellence and its contribution to scholarship, teaching and outreach/engagement within COA/MAES, which could include (but is not limited to) enabling excellence in a specific research project or a body of scholarly work, facilitating students and instructors to be successful inside and outside the classroom, ensuring highly effective communication and outreach/engagement with Montana communities and stakeholders, going above and beyond the scope of the nominee's position.
Nomination Criteria
Nominations can be made by any faculty, staff, or student, and submitted to the nominee's department head. The award will be based on a nomination dossier (1 per department), which should address the selection criteria described above and should include:
- a departmental letter of nomination outlining the nominee’s specific meritorious service activities and their impacts (max. 2 pages);
- the staff/professional’s shortened CV (max. 3 pages);
- two letters (internal and/or external) describing the nominee's meritorious service within the COA.
Award Sponsor
MSU College of Agriculture and Montana Agricultural Experiment Station
(could change if award money is associated with a particular gift / endowment)
Award Amount:$500
NACTA Teaching Award of Merit for Faculty & for Graduate Students
Recognizes emerging excellence in on-campus instruction, particularly for early career faculty. This award recognizes teaching that aims to transform the students and teacher for the better through innovation, discovery-driven education, exceptional student engagement, imparting skills relevant to the workforce, etc. Teaching encompasses a balance of classroom instruction, mentoring and professional development students and service to the profession depending on the faculty or graduate student’s appointment.
Eligibility
All tenure- and non-tenure track faculty in the COA/MAES. Graduate students in the COA.
Selection Criteria
Evidence of burgeoning excellence in teaching, which could include (but is not limited to) fostering student learning, enhancing critical thinking, stimulating creativity and engagement, increasing students' workforce skillset, providing innovative mentoring to students and/or peer instructors, demonstrating an aspiration toward professional development, developing curricula and/or teaching resources that move forward the teaching profession in the nominee's field. One faculty per college and one graduate student per department will be recognized.
Nomination Criteria
Nominations can be made by any faculty, staff, or student, and submitted to the nominee's department head. The award will be based on a nomination dossier (1 per department), which should address the selection criteria described above and should include:
- a departmental letter of nomination outlining the nominee’s burgeoning innovative teaching activities (max. 2 pages)
Award Sponsor
NACTA and MSU College of Agriculture
Award Amount: 1 year NACTA membership ($100 value), Certificate signed by NACTA and COA leadership
Transformational Teaching Award
Recognizes on-campus teaching that transforms the students and teacher for the better through innovation, discovery-driven education experiences, exceptional student engagement, imparting skills relevant to the workforce, etc. Teaching encompasses a balance of classroom instruction, mentoring, and professional development of students and service to the profession depending on the faculty’s appointment.
Eligibility
All tenure- and non-tenure track faculty in the COA/MAES.
Selection Criteria
Evidence of innovative and transformative teaching, which could include (but is not limited to) fostering student learning, enhancing critical thinking, stimulating creativity and engagement, lowering barriers to effective instruction, increasing students' workforce skillset, providing superior mentoring to students and/or peer instructors, demonstrating a sustained aspiration toward continued professional development, developing curricula and/or teaching resources that move forward the teaching profession in the nominee's field or beyond.
Nomination Criteria
Nominations can be made by any faculty, staff, or student, and submitted to the nominee's department head. The award will be based on a nomination dossier (1 per department), which should address the selection criteria described above and should include:
- a departmental letter of nomination outlining the nominee’s specific transformative teaching activities and their impacts (max. 2 pages);
- the faculty's shortened CV (max. 3 pages);
- two letters (internal and/or external) describing the nominee's contributions to transformative teaching within the COA.
Award Sponsor
MSU College of Agriculture
(could change if award money is associated with a particular gift / endowment)
Award Amount: $1,000
Excellence in Research and Discovery Award
The Excellence in Research and Discovery award recognizes scientists who are national leaders in their area of research and whose research has made contributions in both moving forward their profession and improving the economy, society, culture, national security, public policy or services, health, the environment, and/or quality of life beyond the contribution to academia. Nominations can be made based on a single high impact discovery or a body of work that includes high profile, peer-reviewed publications, significant acquisition of extramural funding support, and lasting effects of the work on stakeholders outside the profession.
Eligibility
All faculty and research professionals in the COA/MAES.
Selection Criteria
Evidence of outstanding scholarship, which could include (but is not limited to) publication of peer-reviewed scientific articles in high-impact journals, grantsmanship and associated research, development of patents and subsequent adoption of technology, national and international recognition of research and discovery, a record of research significantly affecting the lives of Montanans and beyond.
Nomination Criteria
Nominations can be made by any faculty, staff, or student, and submitted to the nominee's department head. The award will be based on a nomination dossier (1 per department), which should address the selection criteria described above and should include:
- a departmental letter of nomination outlining the nominee’s specific research project, program, or body of work and their impacts (max. 2 pages);
- the faculty's shortened CV (max. 3 pages);
- two letters (internal and/or external) describing the professional contributions and broader impacts of the nominee's research efforts.
Award Sponsor
MSU College of Agriculture and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station
(could change if award money is associated with a particular gift / endowment)
Award Amount: $1,000
Impactful Outreach and Community Engagement Award
Recognizes faculty and staff who have demonstrated especially significant outreach/engagement achievements and/or an established and sustained body of outreach/engagement related to scholarly work. Outreach refers to effectively developing and delivering scholarship-based knowledge to individuals outside the university and professional communities of faculty, staff and students. Engagement involves a mutually beneficial two-way partnership characterized by collaborative efforts between the university (faculty, staff, and students) and outside communities. Nominations can be made based on a single or shorter-term but high impact activity or on a longer-term body of work. Nominations recognizing efforts that engage underrepresented communities are particularly encouraged.
Eligibility
All faculty and staff in the COA/MAES
Selection Criteria
Evidence of effective, innovative and/or sustained outreach/engagement programming and activities, which could include (but is not limited to) documented changes in knowledge and action by targeted stakeholders and communities, evidence of exemplary integration between scholarship and outreach/engagement programming, securing and affecting communities that have not traditionally been involved, lowering barriers to effective outreach/engagement, developing innovative programs that lower barriers to effective communication and/or increase participation by underrepresented communities, demonstrate efforts that go above and beyond the scope of the nominee's position.
Nomination Criteria
Nominations can be made by any faculty, staff, or student, and submitted to the nominee's department head. The award will be based on a nomination dossier (1 per department), which should address the selection criteria described above and should include:
- a departmental letter of nomination outlining the nominee’s specific outreach and engagement activities and their impacts and significance to the affected communities (max. 2 pages);
- the faculty's shortened CV (max. 3 pages);
- two letters (internal and/or external) describing the nominee's outreach and community engagement efforts and their impacts on improving knowledge and societal well-being for Montanans and beyond.
Award Sponsor
MSU College of Agriculture and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station
(could change if award money is associated with a particular gift / endowment)
Award Amount: $500