UTIA Faculty & Staff Global Engagement Awards | Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture

The Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture works to empower faculty, staff and students across UTIA to be global change agents, who partner with others to develop and deploy sustainable solutions to the world’s complex, agriculture-related challenges. The UTIA Faculty and Staff Global Engagement Awards are one way the Smith Center celebrates the international engagement taking place across the Institute. The Senior Vice Chancellor/Senior Vice President will present the awards at the Institute of Agriculture Promotion and Recognition Luncheon held annually each summer.

We encourage you to nominate a deserving colleague for one of three awards:

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a faculty member who has made significant and sustained contributions in teaching, research and/or extension across their UT career in support of the UT’s Global Vision of a world enriched by the power of ideas, made better through action, and inspired by the Volunteer Spirit of service and leadership through commitments to:

Producing innovative global research and teaching

Engaging meaningfully with existing partners and developing new long-term partners

Fostering lifelong engaged learning among UT students, UT alumni, and Tennesseans

Eligibility: All tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty with a minimum of ten years of service at the Institute and at least a 75% UTIA appointment are eligible for this award. Adjunct and visiting/exchange faculty and Smith Center employees are ineligible.

The Faculty Global Excellence Award will be presented annually to a faculty member who makes extraordinary contributions to the advancement of the international mission of the Institute. Preference will be given to faculty whose contributions enhance UTIA’s global reputation and visibility; demonstrate impact, influence or innovation; and develop significant interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary teaching, research and/or extension programs.

Eligibility: All full-time tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty with at least a 75% UTIA appointment are eligible for this award. Adjunct and visiting/exchange and Smith Center employees are ineligible.

The Outstanding Staff Global Engagement Award recognize individual staff members for their outstanding engagement in support of globalizing the university’s missions of teaching, research, and/or extension. This award recognizes the contributions of individuals who make international programming more accessible to faculty, staff, and students and/or who raise the visibility of international programming across the Institute.

Eligibility: Full time exempt and nonexempt staff are eligible for this award. Staff members of the Smith Center are ineligible for this award.

Nominations are due by April 18, 2025 (third Friday of April each year), and awards will be presented at the UTIA Awards and Promotions Luncheon. Questions should be directed to Carrera Romanini at carrera@utk.edu or 865-974-7340.

Nominations can be submitted at the link below:

UTIA Global Awards Form

Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award – Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes

Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes is a professor and researcher in the Department of Entomology and Plant pathology who is the 2024 recipient of the Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture UTIA Faculty Global Lifetime Achievement Award. The Smith Center’s Award is in recognition to a member of faculty that has consistently poured time and resources into teaching, research, and/or extension during their career, in accordance with UT’s global mission towards the betterment of the world.

Faculty Global Excellence Award – Andrew Muhammad

Andrew Muhammad is a professor and Blasingame Chair of Excellence in Agricultural Policy in the Department of Agricultural and Resources Economics. Dr. Muhammad is the 2024 recipient of the UT Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture Faculty Global Excellence Award. This award is presented to a member of faculty who continues to further the advancement of the international mission of the Institute.

Outstanding Staff Global Engagement Award – Whitney Anderson

Whitney Anderson has worked as a human resources consultant with UT AgResearch and the Herbert College of Agriculture since 2013. She is the 2024 recipient of the UT Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture Outstanding Staff Global Engagement Award. This award embodies an individual of the staff for their outstanding engagement in support of globalizing the university’s mission of teaching, research, and/or extension.

Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award – Marcy Souza

Marcy Souza is a professor of veterinary public health and is the associate dean of Outreach and Global Engagement at UT College of Veterinary Medicine. She has been awarded the 2023 UT Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture UTIA Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award. This accomplishment is in recognition of a faculty member who has made significant and sustainable contributions in teaching, research, and/or extension across their IT career in support of the UT’s global vision of a world enriched by the power of ideas, made better through action, and inspired by the Volunteer spirit of service and leadership.

Faculty Global Excellence Award – Denita Hadziabdic-Guerry

Denita Hadziabdic-Guerry is an associate professor and Fulbright Scholar to Ghana in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. She is the 2023 recipient of the UT Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture Faculty Global Excellence Award. This award reflects a faculty member who makes extraordinary contributions to the advancement of the international mission of the Institute.

Outstanding Staff Global Engagement Award – Lauren Henry

Lauren Henry is the director of communications for the office of advancement at UT. She is the 2023 recipient of the UT Smith Center for International Sustainable Agriculture Outstanding Staff Global Development Award. This award recognizes an individual member of the staff for their outstanding engagement in support of globalizing the university’s missions of teaching, research, and/or extension.