By Scout Nelson
South Dakota State University (SDSU) recently celebrated its annual Celebration of Faculty Excellence, recognizing 28 faculty members for their contributions in research, teaching, and service. The event highlighted outstanding achievements across various university colleges.
Ahead of the banquet, four distinguished faculty members delivered Sewrey lectures, focusing on topics in creative arts, research, teaching, and service. Kristi Cammack, assistant dean of West River operations and professor in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, presented the David Fee Memorial Lecture titled Sustainability — A Look Through the Lens of a Rancher.
During the event, students Claire Booth, Alex Strawn, and Jacob Stevens performed a scene from the play Fuddy Meers, directed by theatre professor Jim Wood.
Several awards were presented to faculty members for their exceptional work:
- Young Faculty Research Award: Aritra Banerjee, Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Excellence in Academic Leadership: Robert Watrel, Geography
- Community/Professional Service: Amber Jensen, English and Interdisciplinary Studies
- Extension/Outreach: Julie Walker, Animal Science
- Excellence in Research: Adam Hoppe, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics
- Excellence in Teaching: Sanjeev Anand, Dairy and Food Science
Additionally, faculty members received recognition for contributions in teaching, mentoring, online instruction, and international research. Jihong Cole-Dai from the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics was named Distinguished Professor.
Faculty members were also recognized as Outstanding Researchers in their respective colleges, including:
- Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences: Sunish Sehgal
- Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences: Leda Cempellin
- Education and Human Sciences: Allison Barry
- Engineering: Semhar Michael
- Natural Sciences: Nicholas Butzin
- Nursing: Theresa Garren-Grubbs
- Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions: Jordan Baye
The event celebrated SDSU’s dedication to academic excellence, research, and student mentorship, reinforcing the university’s commitment to innovation and learning.
Photo Credit: south-dakota-university-extension
Categories: South Dakota, Business