UT Institute of Agriculture Presents Top Faculty and Staff Awards for 2023
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 on August 15, 2023. Many of the awards are gifts made possible by faculty, alumni and friends of the Institute.
UT Institute of Agriculture Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President Keith Carver hosted the award winners and celebrated their work. “I’m excited to celebrate the amazing work of our UTIA faculty and staff,” says Carver. “These awards are well-deserved and represent our employees’ steadfast dedication to their work, the Institute and the people of Tennessee. The impact of their accomplishments and passion will be felt for generations to come.”
Neelam Chandra Poudyal, professor in the School of Natural Resources, is one recipient of the UT AgResearch Dean’s Grantsmanship Award. The UT AgResearch Dean’s Grantsmanship Award recognizes the extraordinary effort of our faculty members in successfully securing competitive extramural grants and contracts and who exceeds expectations of good departmental/institutional citizenship. This award is based on the total dollar amount of competitive extramural grants/contracts secured by the faculty member serving as principal or co-principal investigator. Poudyal’s research work at UT is funded by National Science Foundation, USDA NIFA, US Department of Interior, USDA APHIS, Environmental Defense Fund, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Tennessee Valley Authority.
“I am honored and humbled to have been selected for this award,” says Poudyal. “I am very thankful to the encouraging colleagues and supportive staff and administration at UTIA campus for this success.” Scott Lenaghan from the Department of Food Science and Yang Zhao from the Department of Animal Science also received the award.
Poudyal has been with UTIA for 10 years and specializes in natural resource policy and human dimensions. He has enjoyed seeing the success of every student he has mentored and taught over the years. He says it has been quite rewarding, and it is the secret energy that keeps him alive and working.
Poudyal earned a doctorate in natural resources/conservation from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a master’s degree in geography from Western Illinois University, and a bachelor’s degree in forestry from Tribhuvan University. Among his many accomplishments, he was named the 2022-2023 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to Nepal, received the 2022 UTIA Mid-Career Faculty Research Excellence Award, the 2019 UTIA T.J. Whatley Distinguished Young Scientist Award, and the 2019 Gamma Sigma Delta Outstanding Award for Research.
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.