David W. McIntosh receives UT AgResearch Outstanding Support Staff Award
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.”
David W. McIntosh, coordinator and researcher in the UT Beef and Forage Center, received the UT AgResearch Outstanding Support Staff Award. This award honors and acknowledges the excellence of employees in fulfilling their job responsibilities. The award recognizes employees who have demonstrated competence and critical thinking, cooperativeness and team building, professionalism and ethical behavior, initiative and dependability, and excellent communication skills.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to really make a difference. The team and I often see how Real. Life. Solutions. come about, but to suddenly have the opportunity to work on a project that goes way beyond that slogan is an honor,” he said.
His expertise includes near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), forage systems and applied laboratory science. He manages the NIRS Forage and Feed Nutritional Analysis Laboratory, overseeing operations, quality assurance, calibration development and training efforts. Through the NIRS Forage and Feed Consortium, he provides technical support to laboratories across academic, government and private sectors.
McIntosh, who has been with UTIA for 19 years, also helps coordinate the UTIA forage variety trial program and supports and participates in initiatives such as the flood recovery work following Hurricane Helene, whose team of faculty and staff won a 2026 William T. Miles M.D. Memorial Award for Community Service. He also contributes to educational programs, technical resources, and research publications that translate science into practical solutions for producers and industry stakeholders.
Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in plant, soil, and environmental sciences, McIntosh earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
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.