October 17, 2007

PUCESA awards outstanding recipients at conference

The PUCESA awards distinguish Extension specialists who have significantly contributed to Indiana through Purdue Extension.

* Todd Applegate, professor of animal sciences, received the PUCESA Junior Award.  While at Purdue, he has developed and executed a poultry industry Extension program that uses research to address key industry issues such as reducing the environmental impact of the poultry industry.  Applegate has developed and improved key educational programs for the poultry industry including: Multi-state poultry health and management schools, the multi-state Poultry Feeding and Nutrition Conference, and the Avian Veterinary Network.

* Dirk Maier, professor of agricultural and biological engineering, received the Senior Award.  His many accomplishments have contributed to the improvement and preservation of grain quality.  He aided in establishing the Consortium for Integrated Management of Stored Product Insect Pests, a project that implemented insect pest management strategies of stored grain to help put high-quality, safe grain out to global markets.  He also co-developed an award-winning multi-media computer software-training program called “Post-Harvest IPM Educator�? that helps to assist grain farmers and grain processors to maximize the quality and profits of stored grain.

* Mark Russell, professor of animal sciences, received the PUCESA Career Award. Russell has served as Hoosier Horse Fair and Expo co-chair, coordinated the Purdue Horsemen’s Conference, and initiated both the Indiana Ferrier’s Association and Riding for the Handicapped Instructor Certification Clinics.  Nationally, he chaired the committee for the American Youth Horse Council’s Horse Industry Handbook and Youth Safety Manual.  He also chaired the NCR 4-H Horse Project curriculum, American Horse Council Horse Industry Leadership workshops, and the Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup.  Russell has also served as Alpha Lambda Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi president, ESP North Central vice president, and PUCESA president.

* Bill Johnson, professor of botany and plant pathology, received the Special Award.  Conducting a research program focused on weed management issues, Johnson has been highly involved with educational programs regarding the safe and wise use of the herbicide, glyphosate. He also initiated the Glyphosate, Weeds and Crops group comprised of Extension specialists from 16 universities in two countries.  Johnson has served as the editor of 11 publications and a Web page to provide growers with recommendations to encourage weed control systems for Roundup Ready crops.

* Paula Dillard, director of the Agricultural Communications Media Distribution Center, was presented the Spirit of Extension Award. Recognized for her quality service, Dillard works to ensure that Extension publications are current and that inventory is on hand, working not only with faculty, but also Extension educators across the state. Media Distribution employees are the some of first people customers interact with, and Dillard was honored for her work to keep customer satisfaction high.

* The Team Award went to the Indiana Operation: Military Kids team. OMK was created to support deployed National Guard, Army Reserve and active duty soldiers’ children living in Indiana communities. The team has successfully gained contact with 11,000 Hoosiers after its implementation in May 2005. The OMK Program has distributed Hero Packs, which contain fun educational information for children of deployed parents and also has a mobile technology lab, which allows individuals to create digital and/or print messages that can be shared with deployed soldiers. The team’s efforts also have resulted in a doctoral research project on OMK on the effect of deployment on children.

Writer: Hannah Brescher, (765) 494-8402, hbresche@purdue.edu

Source: Randy Woodson, (765) 494-8392. woodson@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page

Note to Journalists: Photos of the award winners will be available on the Web at https://www.ces.purdue.edu/awards/ at 10 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 18).

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