Two From the Herbert College of Agriculture Received Top Awards; Several Faculty Honored
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, celebrated the achievements of its students, faculty and staff at the annual Academic Honors Banquet, hosted by the Office of the Provost on April 21, and the Chancellor’s Honors Banquet, held April 29.
Awards presented at the two banquets honor individuals who embody the Volunteer spirit by excelling in research and creative work, significantly impacting campus culture and demonstrating outstanding leadership and service to UT and the broader community.
“The exceptional students, faculty and staff recognized this year embody what it means to be a Volunteer,” said Chancellor Donde Plowman. “They understand what it means to step forward in leadership and service and are committed to making our campus and our community better. I’m grateful for all their contributions.”
“These honorees represent the academic excellence that defines UT,” said Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor John Zomchick. “Their work strengthens our university at every level — enriching our students’ experiences, advancing knowledge and making a meaningful impact far beyond campus.”
The following are the UT Institute of Agriculture students and faculty that received awards from UTIA.
Top Honors
Genesis Nolan of Dayton, Ohio, is among the 10 recipients named as Torchbearers, UT’s highest honor for undergraduates. The award recognizes academic achievements and outstanding commitment to the university and Knoxville community. Nolan is a Herbert College of Agriculture student studying animal science with a bioscience concentration and a minor in entomology and plant pathology. She graduates in in May. She is the inaugural president of the Multicultural Mentoring Program, which provides personal support, social guidance and positive campus survival skills to first-year students of color. She is also a member of Leadership Knoxville Scholars and the Global Citizens Program, and was involved in Emerging Leaders. Nolan represents UT as a Dean of Students Fellow, a Jones Center for Leadership and Service ambassador and a Vols in Student Affairs Program ambassador. She is a member of the Alpha Phi Omega national service organization. Off campus, Nolan volunteers with the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley and the Emerald Youth Foundation, and has previously served with the Native Plant Rescue Squad.
Excellence in Teaching Award and the L. R. Hesler Award for Excellence in Teaching and Service: Jerome Grant
Dr. Jerome Grant, a native of East Tennessee and a first-generation college student, received his B.S. from Berea College, his M.S. from the University of Kentucky, and his Ph.D. from Clemson University. He has about 500 Madagascar hissing cockroaches. He has been a member of the UT faculty in the Herbert College of Agriculture for 39 and a half years, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in entomology (insects) and applied insect ecology. He has served as Graduate Major Advisor for 54 M.S. and Ph.D. students, offering them many professional, teaching, outreach, and service experiences throughout their programs. He also hires numerous undergraduate students in his laboratory to provide them with research experiences to enhance their educational experience.
Dr. Grant has developed an educational outreach program focused on entomology that provides hands-on experiences to 5,000 to 8,000 people (all ages) each year via various outreach activities such as the Butterfly Festival, the Buggy Buffet, Bug Camp, the Insect Zoo, and Cricket Spittin’ Contests. He also serves as leader of the UT Integrated Pest Management (IPM) (applied insect ecology)/Biological Control Research Laboratory, where his main research focus is to address the issues and problems facing the agricultural industry, as well as those impacting upon our forests and natural resources. His research focuses on invasive species (insects and weeds) and integrates the use of sustainable, environmentally friendly tactics into management programs. Dr. Grant also serves as the State Survey Coordinator, responsible for the state’s Cooperative Agriculture Pest Survey (CAPS) that is a first line of biosecurity against invasive insect pests.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you?
Being a Tennessee Volunteer is about embodying a spirit of service, leadership, and pride in my university, my community, and beyond with a commitment to helping others, whether through acts of kindness, community service, teaching, or leadership. As a native East Tennessean, I take great pride in being a Volunteer and seeking ways to make a positive impact in the lives of others. UT has empowered me to make a difference in ways that I never imagined. UT serves students, staff, and faculty, providing a wealth of resources, guidance, and opportunities that can empower all of us in unique ways. Through its commitment to academic excellence, research, and community engagement, UT helps individuals make a difference in their department, their college, their communities, their field, and beyond. UT has afforded me the opportunity and privilege to work with outstanding students, staff, and faculty, as well as share my discipline with the general public, in ways I never imagined. Being a Tennessee Volunteer reflects the ideals of strength, determination, passion, and service to others. It is a lasting legacy that goes beyond just school—it becomes a lifelong passion for me. I feel so thankful to be a Tennessee Volunteer!
Additional Faculty Awards
Professional Promise in Research and Creative Activity Award: Nour Abdoulmoumine
Nour Abdoulmoumine is an associate professor in the Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science department and the Center for Renewable Carbon at UTIA. His research focuses on the production of renewable energy and fuels from lignocellulosic biomass and waste through thermochemical and catalytic processes. He is particularly interested in understanding and optimizing reactions to enhance the thermal degradation of lignocellulosic biomass and waste, converting the degradation intermediates into valuable fuel and biopower sources, and developing strategies to enhance the sustainability of energy systems.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you?
Being a Volunteer means developing solutions to sustainably value our precious natural resources, benefiting people and ensuring the care and preservation of our world so that future generations can thrive and prosper.
Professional Promise in Research and Creative Activity Award: Yang Zhao
Dr. Zhao joined the University of Tennessee in 2020 and is now an associate professor in the Department of Animal Science. Trained as an animal scientist and agricultural engineer, his research focuses on precision poultry management that uses sensors and artificial intelligence to address challenges in poultry environment, welfare, and production. He actively contributes to the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) as a committee chair and serves as an Associate Editor for Transactions of the ASABE. His work has earned multiple awards from his professional society and the university, including the ASABE Sunkist Young Designer Award, AOCABFE Early Career Award, Gamma Sigma Delta Research Award, UT AgResearch Dean’s Grantsmanship Award, and the T.J. Whatley Distinguished Young Scientist Award.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you?
UT has empowered me in ways I never imagined possible. From my colleagues to my department, college, and the university as a whole, I’ve received unparalleled support, guidance, and resources that have fueled my research and teaching passions. The collaborative and inclusive environment at UT has fostered connections and partnerships that enable me to make a positive impact that I never thought possible elsewhere. As a volunteer, I feel a deep sense of passion and responsibility to pass on the spirit of volunteering and preserve the legacy of UT.
Excellence in Research and Creative Activity: Qixin Zhong
Dr. Qixin Zhong is an AgResearch Dean’s professor with Department of Food Science. He received his Ph.D. degree with double majors in Food Science and Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University in December 2003 and has led his independent research program in food ingredient science and technology at UT since July 2005. Dr. Zhong applies materials science and engineering principles to understand, improve, and design multi-length scale structures enabling functions of food ingredients to improve food quality, safety, and healthfulness. His specific research interests include food nanotechnology, food biopolymers, food colloids, and delivery systems of bioactive compounds important to food safety and health.
His research has been sponsored by more than 60 grants totaling more than $38 million. Dr. Zhong has published more than 220 refereed journal articles and 230 refereed meeting abstracts. He has taught Food Chemistry, Food Analysis, Food Colloids, Food Rheology, and Physical Properties of Foods, and has supervised 13 post-doctoral researchers, 21 doctoral students, and 17 MS students. Dr. Zhong was Editor-in-Chief of Food Biophysics in 2016-2023. His significant awards include the AgResearch Dean’s Professor award from UTIA (2024), Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists (2023), Research and Development Impact Award from UTIA (2022), Chancellor’s Professional Promise in Research and Creative Achievement Award from UT Knoxville (2013), and Samuel Cate Prescott Award from the Institute of Food Technologists (2012).
What does being a Volunteer mean to you?
Being a Volunteer to me means having the mentality of going beyond expectations to contribute to the mission of the University of Tennessee. The Volunteer spirit and the family atmosphere at UT make me feel at home, beyond fulfilling my job requirements.
See also: UT Knoxville News