2023-2024 CFAES Award Recipients

Christopher is an associate professor of sensory science in the Department of Food Science and Technology. His research utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to develop fundamental insights related to the mechanisms underpinning food perception, reward, and choice. He leverages knowledge gained from these investigations to develop new methodologies for the food and beverage industry that can be utilized to create healthier foods and/or improve the product development cycle. Dr. Simons has over 100 peer-reviewed publications, and his research has been featured on National Public Radio’s Science Friday and NBC Nightly News. He is the recipient of multiple national and international awards for his research and teaching. Prior to his start at Ohio State, Dr. Simons spent nearly 10 years in the food industry where he led the sensory research function for a large, multinational flavor company. Dr. Simons has a B.S. in biology from the University of Oregon, a M.S. in physiology from Portland State University, and a Ph.D. in food science (sensory science emphasis) from the University of California, Davis.

Mary is a professor in the Department of Entomology and co-director of the Ohio State Environmental Sciences Graduate Program. Her research in insect ecology and conservation focuses on greening urban landscapes including vacant land, parks, and residential backyards. Mary conducts community-engaged research aimed at improving the quality of urban greenspace for both people and insects. The Gardiner Lab has published 72 peer-reviewed publications and been awarded $8.1M in grant support, with current funding from the NSF, USDA, and the MITRE Foundation. Mary is also a state specialist in Extension and is active in the Ohio Master Gardener Volunteer program. She has advised 23 graduate students and postdocs, and she teaches graduate courses in presentation skills and grant writing.

Nuris has a M.S. in entomology from Purdue University, with more than 25 years of experience. Nuris is a very enthusiastic and driven person, always ready to help others. She has an exceptional ability to grow plants and insects needed for experiments. It is like her super power. During her career at Ohio State, she has managed ecologically based research projects of major insect pests of specialty crops grown in controlled environments. Nuris supports her department with the identification of pests impacting specialty crops in controlled environments, as well as providing assistance with outreach events. Additionally, Nuris supports graduate students, staff, and faculty in the preparation of educational materials and research projects.

Nelly, originally from Colombia, works with Dr. Clay Sneller's wheat breeding team in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science at CFAES Wooster. Her passion lies in using science to uplift farmers' livelihoods. With an undergraduate degree in agronomy from Universidad Nacional de Colombia and graduate studies in plant breeding from the University of Arkansas (M.S.) and The Ohio State University (Ph.D.), Nelly is deeply committed to advancing agricultural practices. Wheat, a vital crop providing ~20% of global calories, captivates Nelly's interest. She focuses on employing DNA technology and prediction modeling to enhance wheat productivity. Grateful for Dr. Sneller's mentorship, she completed her Ph.D. research on the effects of genomic selection on the wheat genome. Outside of work, Nelly enjoys biking, running, and indulging in her hobby of amateur miniature collecting. She also dedicates time to mentoring young women to pursue education in STEM fields and hopes for the increased participation of women in the agricultural sciences.

Gireesh’s research team is focused on studying animal health and zoonotic disease problems in food-producing animals using “One Health” approaches. Specifically, the emphasis is on the discovery of novel antimicrobials/probiotics and antimicrobial peptides to control foodborne and animal pathogens. Dr. Rajashekara is a highly productive researcher and more than 140 peer-reviewed publications and with multiple patents. As an advisor, he has mentored 12 Ph.D., 7 M.S., 10 postdoctoral associates, many undergraduate students and visiting scholars. He promotes interdisciplinary collaborative research, with the group working under his direction having a rich diversity being from more than 20 countries. He is highly committed to his trainees developing a foundation while working with him for their future professional success.

Joe received his Ph.D. in evolution, ecology, and organismal biology from The Ohio State University in 2008, began lecturing for the Department of Entomology in 2009, and was promoted to assistant professor of professional practice in 2016. Dr. Raczkowski serves the department as instructor for several courses, coordinating academic advisor, internship coordinator, advisor to the undergraduate entomology student organization (Chrysalis), coach of the Entomology Games Team, and recruiter. Dr. Raczkowski emphasizes scientific literacy in his courses, and he has collaboratively developed scientific literacy modules for inclusion in other entomology courses. In 2024, Dr. Raczkowski received the Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching at The Ohio State University.

Stephen is a professor in the CFAES Department of Animal Sciences. He has primarily taught the contemporary issues class and has also taught the department’s 3130 animal nutrition course several times. He has had the lead in capstone and career classes. Dr. Boyles is a STEP mentor. He has been an advisor for the Saddle and Sirloin Club and the Epsilon Sigma Phi sorority. He has been invited by the university to do workshops for incoming GTAs on teaching techniques. He is a past recipient of the Ohio State Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching. Currently, he is working with Ohio State Libraries personnel in converting two Canvas courses to a format suitable for the Ohio State Knowledge Bank.

Bruce’s career in agriculture has been a lifelong pursuit that started growing up working as the fourth generation on his family’s farm in Marion County. Continuing that pursuit, Bruce enrolled at The Ohio State University to earn a degree in agronomy. To his own surprise, at the time, instead of returning home to the farm, he chose to stay at Ohio State to earn a master’s degree, which ultimately led him to his current position as a lecturer in HCS. Bruce has had the privilege of teaching at Ohio State since the fall of 2006. Through years of outstanding mentorship by senior faculty, positive feedback from students, and tremendous support from the department, Bruce has only been able to improve as an educator each year. Being a teacher at Ohio State is a dream job, and he is living the dream every day.

Megan graduated from The Ohio State University in 2004 with dual B.S. degrees in entomology and microbiology. She then continued her graduate work at Ohio State while working in Dr. David Denlinger's Insect Molecuar Physiology Lab and earning a Ph.D. in December 2014. Megan taught general biology as well as courses on insect biology for science and non-science majors at Kenyon College for one year before returning to Ohio State as an assistant professor of entomology in 2016. Dr. Meuti's interests and expertise include insect molecular physiology and mosquitoes and other insect disease vectors.

Ashley earned her Ph.D. in entomology at Cornell University in 2019, where she studied the multifaceted impacts of IPM programming in vegetable cropping systems. She was awarded an AFRI postdoctoral fellowship to examine the impacts of pesticide programming on pollination services in watermelon production. Dr. Leach began her position at Ohio State as an assistant professor in January 2022. Her research program incorporates pest biology and ecology to design evidence-based pest management approaches for Ohio’s diverse specialty crop industries. Her research aims to support arthropod-mediated ecosystem services to improve agricultural vitality. Her Extension program creates resources for Ohio specialty crop growers to improve current pest management practices. She regularly collaborates across the college with the goal of creating robust tools for stakeholders. 

Peggy is the director of Ohio State’s Agricultural and Resource Law Program and a member of OSU Extension’s Farm Office team, providing research and outreach on legal issues affecting Ohio agriculture. She is a research partner with the National Agricultural Law Center, and has taught agribusiness law in CFAES for 25 years. Hall has served as president of the American Agricultural Law Association (AALA) and chair of the Ohio State Bar Association Agricultural Law Committee.  She has received AALA’s Excellence in Agricultural Law Award and its Distinguished Service Award; and the National Association of County Agricultural Agents honored Hall with its Ohio Distinguished Service Award. Hall holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in natural resource policy from Ohio State and a Juris Doctor from the University of Wyoming College of Law, where she was on the Land and Water Law Review editorial board. 

Audrey is the OSU Extension educator for 4-H youth development in Columbiana County. She received her master’s degree in early childhood education from Concordia, St Paul, and her bachelor's degree in elementary education from Bowling Green State University. She is a Stark County 4-H alumna, and is currently serving her 26th year as a volunteer in her home 4-H club. Audrey enjoys working to meet the needs of her community through a variety of school programs, community partnerships, and within the growing 4-H community clubs of Columbiana County. Her dedication to her community has strengthened relationships and created new opportunities. Audrey is extremely proud of the growth she has seen among the 4-H youth, as they are attending a variety of new opportunities, sharing their leadership abilities, and developing lifelong skills. When Audrey is not working, she enjoys spending time with her four children on the family farm and traveling with her husband.

Todd has been with Ohio State and CFAES for 35 years. Working as the leader of the Enology program since 2001, he also serves as the state enologist and outreach specialist to the Ohio commercial wine industry. Todd has moved to a full Extension appointment under OSU Extension and the Ohio Grape Industries Committee. His Extension responsibilities include co-organizing the annual Ohio Grape and Wine Conference, the annual Ohio Wine Competition, organizing workshops, webinars, performing winery site visits, and presenting at both in-state and out-of-state meetings. Recently, Todd has developed several large programmatic Extension efforts in addition to writing the Wine Production Guide to support a rapidly growing Ohio wine industry. Todd has been asked to judge in numerous regional, national, and international wine competitions, and he has served several terms on the board of directors for the American Society of Enology and Viticulture – Eastern Section (ASEV-ES). Todd has been awarded the 2022 ASEV-ES Distinguished Service Award in addition to being selected as a 2022 Wine Industry Leader by Wine Business Monthly. Recently, Todd was selected for the prestigious Monteith Trophy by the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association.

Following the East Palestine train derailment, the impacted communities, agricultural producers, and those who rely on the products they provide were faced with uncertainty and questions surrounding the viability of the local food supply. While the needs of the producers became clear over the course of conversations, meetings, and roundtables, the answers required countless hours of carefully considering appropriate protocols, procedures, and analytical measures. This team’s partnership with ODA and the CFAES departments represented effectively served the communities surrounding East Palestine by placing timely, relevant, and much-needed data into the hands of local producers. This data allowed many to continue selling their grain and marketing livestock; and most importantly, it gave producers the confidence to engage in informed, non-biased conversations with their consumers.   

In response to the East Palestine train derailment, CFAES and OSU Extension staff, scientists and researchers, and other experts were brought together to address residents’ needs by utilizing recommendations from CFAES and collaborating with local, state, and national agencies to share expertise for a greater impact in responding to the needs of residents and stakeholders in the area. They facilitated temporary livestock housing, provided fact-based information sheets, validated processes, served as a trusted scientific source, reviewed remediation plans, established sampling protocols, provided mental health support and resources, and evaluated economic and environmental impacts. 

Erin is the CFAES Wooster office manager for the Department of Entomology. Erin earned a B.A. in psychology from Kent State University (2002), then worked for 15 years as a research assistant at the University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry. Erin returned to her home county and joined Entomology in 2018. Erin enjoys working with her colleagues and learning about the astounding diversity of life that insects represent. Erin has served on the CFAES Wooster campus Staff Council since 2019, with three years as treasurer and is ending her second three-year term in 2024 as chair. Erin received the 2020 CFAES Staff Advisory Council Key Values award and is honored to receive the CFAES SAC Citizenship award. She lives in Wooster with husband Kevin, daughter Ava, sons Shay and Jamie and pets Collette, Charlie, October, Ivar, Ivette, Moxie and Ripley (cats), Trevor and Sabie (tortoises), Leo and Skittles (geckos), and too many fish and invertebrates.

Janna received her B.F.A in graphic design from Arkansas State University and her M.A. in visual communication from Ohio State. She taught graphic design for Ohio Dominican University while working for various design offices in Columbus. Her passion lies in serving others, and she is proud to have been a founding contributor of the My Sister’s Fund utilized by the YWCA Columbus. Since joining the Department of Entomology in 2022, she has coordinated the exterior vehicle wrap of the mobile outreach tool, the BUGmobile, and updated the visual presence of Entomology. She supports the department in many roles, the primary being leading undergraduate recruitment and retention. Janna partners with advisors to provide student-focused events and opportunities and connections to resources. She assists with fostering alumni relationships and outreach to expand Entomology’s presence, equitably engaging future students. 

Scott earned his B.A. in biology from Hiram College (2006) and his M.S. from the CFAES Department of Horticulture and Crop Science (2013). He has worked on the CFAES Wooster campus since 2009. Scott works with department members to help find solutions for research needs, including designing a bug vacuum for collecting insects in the field, creating an apparatus for testing safety equipment, and finding cost-effective solutions for storage requirements. He serves on the CFAES Wooster campus safety and sustainability committees. Scott was awarded the 2023 University Laboratory Excellence in Safety award, and the 2022 Chiefs Award at the Wooster Township Fire Department where he serves on the water rescue and drone response teams. Scott lives in Wooster with Danae (wife), Milo and Leo (sons), Sesi (dog), Pluto, Ursa, Jupiter, Callie, Luna (cats), Lavendar, Buttercup, Nox, and Sprig (spiders).

Regina is the academic program manager for the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, serving HCS for more than 28 years. In her role as a graduate program manager, Regina processes all graduate admissions, manages position changes between research and teaching appointments, serves on the HCS Graduate Studies and Academic Affairs committees, and assists in planning the annual Graduate Research Symposium. Besides managing the HCS graduate program, Regina is an advisor for the Graduate Student Association, the internship coordinator for undergraduate students majoring in sustainable plant systems and sustainable agriculture, and the instructor for HCS 1100 - Survey Course. She received a Masters in Public Administration from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at Ohio State and a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Otterbein University. Regina previously served on the CFAES Staff Advisory Council and is currently on the Ohio State Graduate and Professional Admissions Advisory Council. Regina demonstrates positivity, dedication, and exemplary service; and she is grateful for this recognition from her peers.

Elizabeth is a junior studying agricultural communication and minoring in nonprofit management and rural sociology. She is originally from Jackson, Ohio, which is where she got her start in agriculture with organizations such as 4-H and FFA. Elizabeth is an active student leader in Alpha Sigma Upsilon, Collegiate 4-H, CFAES Peer Mentors, and the CFAES Ambassador program.

Elly is an agricultural systems management major from the Mansfield, Ohio area. She has served as a student assistant with the CFAES Academic Programs’ Office for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment team since January 2021. In addition to maintaining her academics, where she has been recognized by making it onto the Dean’s List, she has been an active member and leader of the Alpha Sigma Upsilon agricultural sorority, CFAES Ambassador Team, and the Agricultural Systems Management Club professional student organization. One of Elly’s most memorable experiences from her undergraduate career has been her education abroad experience, where she traveled to Costa Rica. After graduating at the end of this semester, Elly is keenly interested in exploring professional opportunities within OSU Extension.

Julie is the director of events at the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. She began her career with the organization in 1995. Throughout her tenure, she facilitated collaboration with field staff, promoted membership growth, and led leadership development initiatives. Her ongoing dedication extends to providing vision and leadership in organizing and executing major events for the organization. A graduate of Amanda-Clearcreek High School, Julie furthered her education at Fairfield Career Center and Columbus State Community College. Beyond her professional endeavors, Julie dedicated numerous years to coaching youth sports in the Pickaway County area. Currently, Julie and her family reside in Ross County.

Pat is the assistant dean for student development within CFAES. In this role, he oversees student financial aid, honors, undergraduate research, and career services. Whittington has advised several student organizations, including Ohio Stater’s Inc., Romophos, and Delta Theta Sigma Professional Agricultural Fraternity. He served as president of the National Agricultural Alumni Development Association (NAADA) from 2020-2022, and he is currently a member of its executive board of directors. Whittington collaborates with various university offices, including Student Life, Academic Affairs, and Enrollment Planning, to support student success. He has been a faculty mentor for the Second-Year Transformational Experience Program (STEP) since its inception in 2013, aiming to enhance the student experience.

Jeffrey is a professor in the Department of Animal Sciences. Dr. Firkins joined CFAES in 1987, and he specializes in dairy production-relevant research aimed at addressing immediate and long-term challenges while enhancing the sustainability of the dairy industry. Dr. Firkins previously served as the CFAES leader for The Ohio State University Nutrition (OSUN) program, and has served multiple terms as a journal editor, panelist, or manager of USDA competitive grants, and on planning committees for international conferences in GI microbiology and ruminant physiology. Dr. Firkins has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles and made 200 invited presentations. Dr. Firkins was selected as the CFAES Senior Faculty Research Award recipient in 2023, and he is a Fellow of the American Dairy Science Association.

Chieri is a professor in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science and director of the CFAES Ohio Controlled Environment Agriculture Center. Dr. Kubota joined the CFAES faculty in 2017, with research focusing on issues in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) crop production such as lighting technologies, water and nutrient management, and introducing new crops for CEA. Dr. Kubota has published 101 peer-reviewed journal papers, 58 technical peer-reviewed papers/proceedings, 17 Extension articles, and 33 book chapters; and is a Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS). Dr. Kubota integrates research and outreach/engagement in an innovative way. Dr. Kubota has organized several online or in-person workshops to share the modern CEA technologies and sciences, as well as more practical methodologies to advance CEA industries. Her monthly webinars reach nearly 2,000 industry and academic personnel worldwide.

Lingying is a professor, associate chair of research in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and associate director of Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station. Dr. Zhao joined the CFAES faculty in 2001, with research focusing on building ventilation, indoor environmental quality, air pollutant control for animal production facilities, and green residential buildings and animal production systems. Dr. Zhao holds two patents for a wet scrubbing ammonia mitigation technology she developed with her students. She has authored 187 publications and made over 180 scientific presentations. Dr. Zhao has been an active member of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Greg previously served as assistant dean of OSU Extension and associate chair of the Department of Extension; assistant director, OSU Extension Community Development; leader, Community Economics and Business, a collaboration between the departments of Extension and Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics (AEDE); and district community development specialist and county educator for OSU Extension. Throughout these roles, he has focused on engaging with community development professionals in developing programs, curriculum, and partnerships in pursuit of applied scholarship and funding/revenue, as well as community-based applied research, teaching, and service focused on empowering individuals, groups, organizations, and communities to better understand their economy and methods for strengthening it. Interwoven throughout these program efforts was a focus on the professional development of faculty and staff. Dr. Davis earned degrees from the University of Findlay and Bowling Green State University, and earned his Ph.D. in Extension education from Ohio State in 2004.

Doug first joined CFAES as a professor and associate director in the School of Environment and Natural Resources in 2016. He has won numerous national awards and authored, co-authored, or reviewed more than 362 publications including books, book chapters, journal articles, research papers, and scholarly presentations. A trained sociologist, Dr. Jackson-Smith also has a significant background in geography, economics, political science, and anthropology. His research focuses on the social and economic drivers and impacts of structural and technological change in agriculture. He has organized and led multiple interdisciplinary teams with agricultural and environmental scientists to carry out engaged scholarship and outreach related to social and environmental dynamics of complex working landscapes. Dr. Jackson-Smith earned his Ph.D. and two master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and earned his bachelor's from Cornell University. 

Jim has held various academic and research positions, including his most recent role as a professor emeritus in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University (CSU). He has also served as a research soil scientist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). Dr. Ippolito’s research interests encompass soil health, soil fertility, agroecosystems, heavy metals in soils, and their impacts on plant, animal, and human health. His work focuses on identifying and mitigating the risks posed by inorganic and organic pollutants in soils, ultimately benefiting not only the environment but also food systems and overall well-being. In addition to his research contributions, Dr. Ippolito is a dedicated educator, offering courses to provide students with a deep understanding of soil nutrient management and its significance in sustainable agriculture. He earned a Ph.D. in environmental soil quality/chemistry from CSU in December 2001, a M.S. in soil chemistry/fertility from CSU, and a B.S. in plant science with an agronomy concentration and a minor in microbiology from the University of Delaware.

Guo-Liang’s research focuses on the mechanisms of plant-pathogen interaction and the signal transduction pathways leading to the induction of disease resistance responses, with the long-term goal of genetically engineering plants for disease resistance to reduce reliance on the environmentally damaging pesticides. He uses rice as the model plant to clone disease-resistance genes and genes involved in resistance responses to rice fungal and bacterial pathogens. He has authored or co-authored over 230 peer-reviewed papers with over 24,971 total citations. Wang is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a recipient of The Ohio State University’s Distinguished Scholar Award. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of the Philippines Los Baños and Intl Rice Research Institute (IRRI), M.Sc. from Fujian Agricultural University, and B.Sc. from Hunan Agricultural University.

Laura Deeter earned a B.S. and Ph.D. in landscape horticulture from CFAES. Prior to her appointment as the Sandy and Andy Ross Endowed Director of the Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens and professor of professional practice in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Dr. Deeter served as professor in the Division of Horticultural Technologies at Ohio State ATI on the CFAES Wooster campus. Laura began her career within CFAES as a graduate teaching and research assistant on the Columbus campus in 1995, moving to the CFAES Wooster campus in 2000, to serve as assistant professor in the Division of Horticultural Technologies at ATI. Dr. Deeter has been awarded the ATI Distinguished Teaching Award three times, the Ohio State Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Perennial Plant Association Teaching Award, the American Horticulture Society Teaching Award, the Perennial Plant Association Service Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ohio Landscape Association, and Professor of the Year from Instructure.