National Honor; AEC's Erica Irlbeck wins NARRU Educator Award
A clear commitment to teaching has garnered Erica Irlbeck, an associate professor of agricultural communications within Texas Tech's Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, the Non-Land-Grant Agricultural and Renewable Resources Universities' (NARRU) Young Educator Award, university officials announced today (Aug. 25).
"It's exciting to see Dr. Irlbeck recognized on the national level for her contributions to agricultural communications," said department chairman Steven Fraze. Irlbeck will be presented her award at a special presentation during NARRU's annual meeting in early October in Kansas City.
Texas Tech has had tremendous recent success in this particular NARRU category. Courtney Meyers, an associate professor of agricultural communications within Tech's Department of Agricultural Education and Communications (2013); and Ryan Rathmann, an associate professor within Tech's Department of Animal and Food Sciences (2014), previously won the NARRU Young Educator Award, said Michael Galyean, dean of Texas Tech's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
"It is an honor to be recognized by a group as distinguished as NARRU," Irlbeck said. "This group represents the most esteemed faculty in agricultural sciences and natural resources nationwide, and I am so humbled by this recognition."
Since joining the Tech's faculty in 2009, Irlbeck has led students in video production in agriculture, agricultural communications campaigns and professional development. Her research interests include risk and crisis communications, agriculture in television media and agricultural communications campaigns.
Recent awards for Irlbeck are the CASNR Teaching Award (2015); CASNR Junior Faculty Award (2014); and the Texas Tech University Alumni Association New Faculty Award (2014). Irlbeck received her doctorate in agricultural education from Texas Tech. Her bachelor's degree in agricultural communications is from Oklahoma State and her master's degree is from Tech. Prior to her academic career, she worked in agricultural television news, farm radio, public relations and advertising.
According to program officials, the purpose NARRU is to be a unifying force for all faculty, students, staff, and administrators of agriculture, food, and renewable resource programs at NARRU state funded, public colleges and universities. NARRU promotes excellence in science-based teaching with hands-on experience in conducting responsive and issue-based research, and in communicating findings to stakeholders and the general public.
Written by Norman Martin
CONTACT: Steven Fraze, Chair, Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2816 or steven.fraze@ttu.edu
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