West Virginia University’s Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences has announced its selections for outstanding faculty in teaching, research and service for the 2002-2003 academic year.
Honorees include James Anderson for excellence in research; Kenneth Blemings for excellence in teaching; and George Longenecker for excellence in service.
Anderson, assistant professor of wildlife and fisheries resources in the Division of Forestry, is”one of the most outstanding researchers in the Division of Forestry and the Davis College,”according to Joseph McNeel, division director.
In 2002, Anderson authored or co-authored 25 articles for refereed and popular outlets such as Forest Science, the Journal of Wildlife Management, Southwestern Naturalist and Game and Wildlife Science. He was the principal or co-principal investigator for 12 research projects and has a number of additional proposals in progress. His projects focus on integrated wetland management for shorebirds and wintering waterfowl, evaluation of back channel habitats on the Ohio River, wildlife use of mitigated wetlands in West Virginia and an ecological study of native wetland plant communities in West Virginia.
Blemings, an assistant professor of nutritional biochemistry in the Division of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, claimed the division’s outstanding teacher award for the second year in a row. Division Director Paul Lewis describes Blemings as demonstrating”all those personal traits that result in quality instruction.”
Those include”a most positive attitude that wants to contribute in a meaningful manner, a genuine interest in the individual student, faculty advisor to the Block and Bridle Club, support of the Academic Quadrathalon team and a number of undergraduate advisees,”Lewis said. Blemings accepted additional duties to facilitate and sustain the emerging undergraduate program in agricultural biochemistry in the last year and has, according to Lewis,”graciously accepted a heavier workload in teaching, academic advising and summer orientation.”
He also participated in the 2002 West Virginia Great Teachers seminar and regularly collaborates with instructors in other disciplines in the Davis College to direct the content of his courses to be compatible with related programs.
Longenecker, a professor of landscape architecture in the Division of Resource Management, possesses”an outstanding record of service to the University, state and community,”said Peter Schaeffer, division director.
Longenecker serves as president and executive director of the West Virginia Botanic Garden, responsible for day-to-day functioning of the garden including database management and communications with the 1,400 individuals who support the ongoing project. He works with volunteers to clean up the property, clear and develop trails, oversee planting and transplanting. Longenecker also serves as landscape advisor and intern program consultant for Fallingwater, the landmark Frank Lloyd Wright home in southwestern Pennsylvania. Longenecker interviews applicants for summer internships and guides and evaluates their efforts. In addition, he frequently helps area residents identify plant specimens.
Faculty honored for teaching, research and service were selected by the Davis College’s Peer Review Committee. Each of the Davis College’s five academic Divisions (Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Family and Consumer Sciences, Forestry, Plant and Soil Sciences and Resource Management) forwarded nominees in each category; they were then evaluated by the committee.
Division-level honorees for teaching included: Cindy Fitch, Family and Consumer Sciences; Steve McBride, Resource Management; Steve Selin, Forestry; and Sven Verlinden, Plant and Soil Sciences. Research honorees included: Robert Dailey, Animal and Veterinary Sciences; Walt Labys, Resource Management; Nora MacDonald, Family and Consumer Sciences; and Jeff Skousen, Plant and Soil Sciences.
Service honorees included: Alan Biggs, Plant and Soil Sciences; William Grafton, Forestry; William Hagerty, Family and Consumer Sciences; and Phil Osborne, Animal and Veterinary Sciences.