Three faculty members from Texas Tech's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources received awards for their quality teaching and research during the university's annual Faculty Honors Convocation today (Apr. 17) in special ceremony at the university's Student Union Building.

"High-quality faculty are the backbone of great academic institutions," said Texas Tech Provost Michael Galyean said. "Our annual Faculty Honors Convocation provides an opportunity to recognize and congratulate Texas Tech faculty members and departments who are true leaders on our campus in helping the university achieve its strategic goals and grow its national and international reputation."

In addition, convocation is a way to recognize faculty members involved in all aspects of the university's mission: teaching, research and scholarship, and engaged outreach and service, said CASNR Dean William Brown. Among the CASNR award winners this year are:

• Chance Brooks – Texas Tech Parents Association Barnie E. Rushing Jr. Faculty Distinguished Research Award. Brooks is a professor and associate chair within Texas Tech's Department of Animal and Food Sciences. His research focuses on beef tenderness and flavor, meat color and stability during storage, and the nutritive value of meat. He has also frequently presents short courses and programs for various organizations in the industry, including Texas Beef Council and the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Recent honors for Brooks include a Non-Land-Grant Agricultural and Renewable Resources Universities' Distinguished Educator Award (2016),
• Ryan Rathmann – President's Excellence in Teaching Award (CASNR). Rathmann, an associate professor within Texas Tech's Department of Animal and Food Sciences. He teaches multiple undergraduate courses including general animal science, animal breeding and genetics, beef production, artificial insemination and numerous livestock evaluation classes. The Bastrop native was named the inaugural holder of the John W. and Doris Jones Endowed Professorship in 2011. Recent honors for Rathmann include a Non-Land-Grant Agricultural and Renewable Resources Universities' Distinguished Young Educator Award (2014).
• Alexandra Protopopova – Texas Tech Alumni Association New Faculty Award (CASNR). Protopopova is a Companion Animal Science Assistant Professor within Texas Tech's Department of Animal and Food Sciences. The Siberian native focuses her efforts on developing a companion animal track, as well as directing a new Human-Animal Interaction Research Laboratory. She is particularly interested in systematically exploring questions of companion animal well-being, behavior, and human-animal interactions. She received the Marian Breland Bailey Award for Applied Animal Behavior Research (2014).

Separately, one previously recognized CASNR faculty member was recognized for receiving a Chancellor's Council Distinguished Faculty Award, the highest faculty honor in the university system. The honor, which recognizes those who demonstrate excellence in teaching, service to the teaching profession, service to students, professional growth and scholarly activity, went to the Department of Animal and Food Sciences' Brooks.

The award is made possible through philanthropic gifts to the Chancellor's Council, a giving society that supports priorities of impacting student lives through scholarships, recognizing faculty achievement and encouraging excellence across the Texas Tech System.

During the ceremony Emeritus Faculty Certificates were presented to Emmett Elam of Tech's Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, and Cynthia McKenney, who retired last year as Associate Chair and Rockwell Endowed Professor of Horticulture in Tech's Department of Plant and Soil Science.

Elam's research has focused on price analysis, marketing, futures markets and price risk management, value-added processing, cotton variety selection, and economics of livestock production and marketing. McKenney's research efforts focused on development and release of native plant varieties included in the Raider Wildflower Collection. Her research also included working with native plants, focusing on wildflower enhancement to increase drought tolerance, plant architecture, and length and intensity of floral display.

Tech convocation officials also recognized the university's Paul Whitfield Horn Professors, which include Eric Hequet, an internationally-recognized leader in cotton fiber research and the current chairman of the university's Department of Plant and Soil Science, and Texas Tech Provost Michael Galyean, who formerly served as CASNR Dean. Horn professorships are the highest honor a faculty member can receive from the university. The award is named for Texas Tech's first president, Paul Whitfield Horn. Of the more than 80 members recognized as Horn Professors, 30 are still on the faculty.

CONTACT: William Brown, Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or william.f.brown@ttu.edu

0417NM19