Agriscience Award Winners Honored for Innovation

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 12, 2010 – The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, a federal government agency, and the American Farm Bureau Federation partnered today to present eight monetary awards and research funding to scientists, teachers and high-school students for exemplary innovation in the field of agricultural science.

“The winning candidates from each category have demonstrated a hunger for forward-thinking scientific knowledge,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “The fruits of their work will be seen as America continues to leads the way in agricultural science innovation.”

Patricia Kennedy, who has a doctorate in biology/ecology and is a professor at Oregon State University, and Thomas Jackson, who has a doctorate in civil engineering and is an Agriculture Department research hydrologist, each received the CCFF Agricultural Science Distinguished Scientist Award and $25,000 in research funding.

Kennedy is a professor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at OSU. Her research evaluates agricultural sustainability from both a commodity and ecological perspective. Jackson’s research focuses primarily on the application and development of remote sensing technology in hydrology and agriculture. He has been invited to work on research panels associated with NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

CCFF Agricultural Science Educator Awards were presented to three educators who emphasize concepts, principles and applications in their curriculum to promote the study of agricultural science to students.

The individuals below were honored with $10,000 awards to support research:

Crystal Retzlaff, an agriculture educator at Oconto Falls High School in Oconto Falls, Wis., teaches a variety of agricultural courses and also advises the Oconto Falls FFA chapter.

Lisa Konkel, an agriscience educator at Big Foot Union High School in Walworth, Wis., is a 17-year veteran agricultural educator who encourages students to incorporate agribusiness and science into production practices.

Byron Ernest with the Lebanon Community School Corporation in Lebanon, Ind., serves as the department head for agriculture and FFA. Ernest was named the 2010 Indiana Teacher of the Year, the first time an agriculture instructor has been so honored.

CCFF Agricultural Science Student Awards honor high school students who have made a significant and positive contribution to the field of agricultural science.

The students below each received $5,000 awards:

Rosemary Chapple, a senior at Waterloo High School in Waterloo, Ill., was raised on a small Angus cattle farm and showed cattle and chickens. She is a member of the Waterloo FFA and served on the state FFA officer team.

Stephanie Hoskins, a senior at Lincoln Park Academy High School in Fort Pierce, Fla., has received numerous awards for her research with plant bacteria isolates. She qualified for the International Science and Engineering Fair three times, placing fourth, third and second in microbiology. She plans to attend Vanderbilt University and major in microbiology.

Jake Carlson, a junior at Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, Calif., will represent California at the National FFA Convention in October, with his winning agricultural science fair project and as a member of the winning state farm business management team. He also plans to run for state FFA office in the upcoming school year.

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