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.”
Dan Ward with the UT College of Veterinary Medicine is the winner of the B. Ray Thompson Outstanding Faculty Performance Award. The award is named for B. Ray Thompson, a Knoxville executive who made significant contributions to UT and the Institute of Agriculture. The honor is made possible by earnings from the Thompson Endowment` and is presented annually to UTIA faculty who have distinguished themselves by their exceptional performance. Ward has served with UTIA for 31 years in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences.
As a professor of ophthalmology, Ward researches glaucoma, ocular trauma and equine eye care and currently is investigating the physiology of blinking. His clinic has more than 2,500 cases every year. Over the years, he has taught animal eye care to more than 2,000 students and has mentored 14 ophthalmology residents. Ward also manages an annual eye screening clinic for service and working dogs in the East Tennessee area.
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.