Texas Tech University's Department of Agricultural Education & Communications once again brought home top honors this month in a variety of categories from the American Association for Agricultural Education's Western Region Conference. The winners were recognized on Wednesday (Sept. 20) at the organization's annual meeting in Logan, Utah.

“Our department has a strong alignment with the Western Region AAAE,” said Scott Burris, chair and professor within the Department of Agricultural Education & Communications. “As a result, our people are highly engaged and their contributions are recognized by the association.”  

Among the faculty members from Tech's Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources receiving individual recognition were:

• 2023 Western Region Outstanding Teacher. Associate Professor Courtney Gibson
• 2023 Western Region Distinguished International Agricultural Educator. Professor Courtney Meyers
• 2023 Western Region Distinguished Agricultural Leadership Educator. Assistant Professor Jason Headrick
• 2023 Western Region Distinguished Agricultural Communications Educator. Professor Erica Irlbeck
• 2023 Western Region Distinguished Agricultural Educator. Professor John Rayfield

In other action, officials at the AAAE conference recognized several research manuscript awards, including:

• 2023 Western Region Distinguished Manuscript. Haleigh Erramouspe, Assistant Professor of Practice Lindsay Kennedy, Professor David Doerfert and Nellie Hill. Title: Case Study Using Q Methodology to Explore the Attitudinal Orientation of Sorghum Producers Toward Sustainable Agricultural Practices
• 2023 Western Region Outstanding Innovation in Research & 2023 Western Region Outstanding Research Impact. Alexa Salinas and Assistant Professor Jason Headrick. Title: Expectations vs. Realities: An Examination of Stated Workforce Development Skills in the Agricultural Industry
• 2023 Western Region Outstanding Research Presentation. Joshue Lewis and Professor Erica Irlbeck. Title: A Case Study in Social Media Adoption: Agricultural Input Companies' Perceptions in Ecuador

Poster Awards:

• 2023 Western Region Outstanding Innovative Idea Poster & 2023 Western Region People's Choice Award. Dayton Wood, Assistant Professor of Practice Lindsay Kennedy and Assistant Professor Nathan Gill (NRM). Title: Igniting Reflection: Using Photovoice to Enhance Experiential Learning in a Prescribed Burning Course
• 2023 Western Region People's Choice Award - Research Poster. D'Arcy Ryder and Professor Courtney Meyers. Title: Benchmark Scientists' Understanding of a University Strategic Research Plan
• 2023 Western Region Outstanding Poster Design. Joshue Lewis and Professor Erica Irlbeck. Title: Did you listen to it? The evaluation of podcasts as a learning tool in agricultural communications.

Tech's Department of Agricultural Education & Communications has 15 faculty members with more than 280 undergraduate students and 115 graduate students. Faculty members specialize in one of three disciplinary areas: teacher education, agricultural communications, and agricultural leadership. Master's degrees are available in agricultural education and agricultural communications, and a departmental Ph.D. program allows students to focus on any of the three areas. In addition, graduate certificates are available in agricultural leadership and agricultural communication.

CONTACT: Scott Burris, Chair, Department of Agricultural Education & Communications, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-8689 or scott.burris@ttu.edu

0922NM23 / PHOTO: (L to R) Courtney Gibson, Courtney Meyers, Jason Headrick, Erica Irlbeck & John Rayfield