2013 Award Recipients
Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching
This award recognizes, encourages, and rewards superior classroom teachers—the individuals whose command of their respective discipline, teaching methodologies, pervasive caring, communication skills, and commitment to the learning process exemplify the meaning of teacher/mentor in its highest sense. This award is designed to distinguish those teachers who maintain high expectations of their students and ensure academic rigor in their courses. These teachers recognize their responsibilities in motivating and contributing to the overall development of their students as learners and future professionals.
Dr. Patricia Smith
Dr. Patricia Smith, an associate professor in biological and agricultural engineering, is a 2013 recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award for teaching.
Dr. Patricia Smith, is an associate professor in biological and agricultural engineering, employed for 12.5 years with a teaching and research appointment. Dr. Smith has been recognized for her teaching accomplishments at the departmental, college (COALS and COE) and university levels, including most recently the Cintron University Professorship for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence. She has been particularly effective in efforts to increase diversity in BAEN at both the undergraduate and graduate levels through grants from the USDA Multicultural Scholars Program, USDA National Needs Program and the participation in the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. She currently holds the position of Undergraduate Program Coordinator for the BAEN degree program and is very active in assessment. Dr. Smith has been the major or co-advisor for 12 graduate students and a member of over 25 graduate committees from departments across campus.
Distinguished Achievement Award for Extension, Outreach, Continuing Education and Professional Development
This award recognizes, encourages, and rewards a staff member, faculty member, or administrator who has brought credit to Texas A&M University through dedication, enthusiasm, attitude, and effectiveness in accomplishing his or her mission in a particular field of extension, continuing education, or professional development.
Dr. Saqib Mukhtar
Dr. Saqib Mukhtar, an Extension agricultural engineer and professor in the department of biological and agricultural engineering, is a 2013 recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award for Extension, Outreach, Continuing Education and Professional Development
Dr. Saqib Mukhtar carries multiple titles; chief among them is Extension agricultural engineer—his position of more than 14 years with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Dr. Mukhtar is renowned for his contributions in Extension education, technology transfer and research to reduce the air and water quality impacts of manure and wastewater from animal feeding operations. Since 1998, his efforts have received grant support exceeding $15 million, including more than $2 million in direct support of his extension and research work. His publications (156 total) are referenced by producers, technicians, engineers and scientists worldwide. In fact, his publications on proper lagoon closure, animal mortality management, and managing odors and dust are part of the guidance provided by Texas and other states to help poultry and livestock operations meet regulatory requirements. Dr. Mukhtar and colleagues developed the first-ever annual emission factors (EFs) regarding ammonia from dairies in the southwestern United States. Producers use these EFs to meet federal reporting rules. Dr. Mukhtar has served on expert panels regarding ammonia emissions control for the National Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, National Dairy Air Quality Taskforce and Oregon Dairy Air Quality Taskforce. Dr. Mukhtar was an early adopter of eXtension, a national online learning environment in which he helped establish the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center in 2008. In 2011, Dr. Mukhtar and seven other university leaders of the center received an eXtension team award for Outstanding Community of Practice. Dr. Mukhtar speaks often at livestock and poultry industry conferences, including keynote addresses or consultations in Brazil, El Salvador and Pakistan. For his achievements, Dr. Mukhtar earned the AgriLife Extension Superior Service Award and the G.B. Gunlogson Countryside Engineering Award from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.