Water Resources Faculty, Programs Win Awards at Agriculture Conference
Several water resources faculty, two water-related teams and a state water agency won awards Jan. 10 at the annual Texas A&M Agriculture Conference.
Dr. Elsa Murano, Texas A&M University System vice chancellor and dean of agriculture and life sciences, presented Awards in Excellence to:
- Dr. Ben Wu, Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management, for graduate teaching. Wu is associate professor of rangeland ecology and management. Wu, a 10-year faculty member at Texas A&M, is involved in landscape ecology; wetland restoration ecology; landscape pattern and hydrology in rangeland and urbanizing watersheds.
- Dr. Neal Wilkins, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, for State Extension Specialist. Wilkins’ water related interests include assessing the aquatic biology of the Rio Grande ecosystem; evaluating the extent to which land use change is occurring throughout Texas and how that may affect water quality and aquatic habitats in rivers and streams.
- Dr. M. Keith Owens for Off-Campus Researcher. Owens, an Experiment Station scientist at Uvalde, is a range expert whose central efforts pertain to sustaining water resources in semiarid regions.
Also at the conference, Texas Cooperative Extension presented a Partnership Award for 2006 to the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB).The partnership award recognizes agencies and organizations that collaborate with Extension to “significantly enhance the outreach and impact of extension for the people of Texas,”
TSSWCB, headquartered in Temple, has partnered with Extension and Texas Water Resources Institute on water issues for decades. Since 2001, more than $3 million in federal funds have funneled through the Board to Extension and its sister agency, the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. This money helped Extension develop programs to reduce water pollution.
TAES conferred 2005 Faculty Fellows to Dr. Bruce A. McCarl, a regent professor of agricultural economics. His water-related research focuses on economic analyses concerning the effects of global climate change; modeling the economics of water use in the Edwards Aquifer region; and economic issues pertaining to water systems security.
Extension also presented Superior Service Awards to Dr. Bruce Lesikar, professor and Extension program leader in Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, County Extension Agents Raymond Bader, of El Paso County, and Billy Kniffen, of Menard County.
Dr. Monty Dozier, assistant professor and Extension Water Resources specialist in the Soil and Crop Sciences Department; Dr. Scott Senseman, associate professor in the Soil and Crop Sciences Department, along with Paul Baumann, professor and Extension weed specialist, won a team superior service award for “Atrazine Abatement.”
The Coastal Bend Irrigated Research Verification Program,” also won a team Superior Service Award. Dr. Thomas Gerik, professor, and Dr. Charles Stichler, professor and extension agronomist, along with Dr. Larry Falconer, Dr. Steve Livingston, Dr. Roy Parker, and Jeffrey Stapper, are members of this team.
