Moss Achievement Awards presented to representatives of each UTIA unit
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture celebrated the accomplishments of some of its top faculty, staff, researchers and Extension experts at UTIA’s annual awards luncheon. The 2026 ceremony was held on the UTIA campus in Knoxville on August 4. Many of the awards are gifts made possible by faculty, alumni and friends of the institute.
UTIA Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President Keith Carver hosted the celebration and praised the honorees for their devotion to the land-grant mission. “Our UTIA staff and faculty continue to overwhelm me with their enthusiasm and unparalleled expertise,” he said. “I am always in awe of their dedication to providing Real. Life. Solutions. to the people of Tennessee. These award winners represent the efforts and accomplishments this past year that will most benefit all Tennesseans and society – impacts that will have lasting benefits through teaching, research and Extension for years to come.”
Among the endowed awards are the Moss Achievement Awards, which were established in memory of J.E. and Ann Moss. These awards recognize excellent achievement in teaching, research and Extension for the Institute of Agriculture. Awards are provided each year for each of the four units of the Institute of Agriculture. Awardees are selected by a committee including the senior vice chancellor and senior vice president and the four deans of the institute.
The 2026 Moss Achievement Award winners are:
*Carrie Stephens, Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, representing the Herbert College of Agriculture
*Jacquline Risalvato, Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, representing the College of Veterinary Medicine
*Jie (Joe) Zhuang, Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, representing UT AgResearch
*Karen Franck, Family and Consumer Sciences, representing UT Extension
A professor of leadership education, Carrie Stephens also serves as the graduate coordinator in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications. She teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in leadership development and her focus includes teaching and learning; supervisory leadership; women in leadership; and leadership techniques that improve student learning and development. She holds a Ph.D. in agricultural teacher education as well as a M.S. in agriculture from Iowa State University. She earned her B.S. in agricultural teacher education from Oklahoma State University.
Jacquline Risalvato is an assistant professor in the CVM Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences and is the Director of the Virology and Immunology Diagnostic Laboratory. She consults with consults referral veterinarians on virology and serology testing and result interpretation. She obtained her bachelor’s in biomedical engineering from the University of South Carolina. She joined the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine as a dual-degree DVM/PhD student under the Veterinary Medicinal Scientist Training Program in 2015, during which she obtained a PhD in Comparative Biomedical Science (2021) and her DVM (2023). Before coming to UTCVM, she served the USDA as a postdoctoral fellow at the Southeast Poultry Research Lab in Athens, GA focusing on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) pathogenesis. At UTCVM, she teaches veterinary virology to students, and is establishing a research program dedicated to genetic characterization of veterinary viruses for vaccinology and advancements in One Health.
Jie (Joe) Zhuang is a professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science. His research interests include the nexus of food, energy, and water systems; the circular bioeconomy of biowaste in agriculture; biophysical foundation of soil health; and fate and transport of colloids and contaminants. Zhuang holds a Ph.D., M.S. in soil science, both from Shenyang Agricultural University, China. His bachelor of science is also from Shenyang Agricultural University, China. Zhuang is a Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and has served on many national award committees as well as many review panels of national and international funding agencies.
An associate professor and program evaluator for the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, Karen Franck is interested in the impact that nutrition education programs have on health outcomes. She earned her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a bachelors in English language and literature/letters from Appalachian State University. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.