UT Institute of Agriculture Presents Top Faculty and Staff Awards for 2021
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture recognized some of its top faculty, staff, researchers and Extension experts at UTIA’s annual awards and promotions luncheon on the UTIA campus in Knoxville July 30, 2021. The event was conducted in person, a welcome return to normalcy after having an online ceremony because of the pandemic last year. The awards honor the extraordinary performance of UTIA employees during a difficult year of online education and changes to procedures because of the pandemic. Many of the awards are gifts made possible by faculty, alumni and friends of the Institute.
UTIA Senior Vice President Tim Cross hosted the award winners and praised them for their work. “After a challenging and stressful year, it’s a pleasure to recognize excellence as exemplified by these award-winning members of the UTIA faculty and staff,” Cross says. “Their continuing dedication to our land-grant mission of serving Tennessee ensures that we develop and deliver real life solutions to improve health, grow the economy and enhance our environment.”
Bill Lively is the agriculture service supervisor and farm crew leader at the East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Knoxville and the winner of the AgResearch Dean’s Outstanding Support Staff Award.
“I am honored and humbled to be a recipient of this award,” Lively says, “I want to thank Dr. Hongwei Xin and the entire AgResearch team for this recognition. I enjoy our work and appreciate the opportunity to help contribute to our important mission. Go Vols!”
Lively has spent his entire 33-year career with the East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, including early service to the UT Gardens on campus before relocating his efforts to the center’s organic crops unit in 2008. He is a valuable team member to faculty doing research projects for the unit. He works in crop production in fields, high tunnels and greenhouses. He also directs planting and harvesting of produce.
Through its land-grant mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.