Faculty and staff from the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln were honored at an awards luncheon Dec. 1 at the East Union. IANR Harlan Vice Chancellor Mike Boehm presented the awards.

“People are IANR’s greatest asset,” Boehm said. “We salute these faculty and staff for their dedication in advancing our mission of teaching, research and outreach.”

The awards and recipients include:

The Outstanding Employee Award recognizes employees who go above and beyond their job responsibilities. Each of the recipients received $750, a certificate and lapel pin.

• Catia Guerrero, administrative associate, Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies
• Bob Henrickson, horticulture program coordinator, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum
• Gentry Lewis, lab manager, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
• Patricia Neben, financial associate, Greater Nebraska Business Center, West Central Research and Extension Center

The Omtvedt Servant Leader Award recognizes outstanding managerial/professional and office/service employees. This award is made possible through the generosity of Lee Harlan and her late husband, Neal, in honor of Irv Omtvedt and his distinguished career at the university. The recipient received $1,000 and a plaque.

• Jeffrey Perkins, ENREC swine unit manager, Department of Animal Science

The Dinsdale Family Faculty Award honors faculty members for outstanding teaching, research and outreach in IANR. It is especially focused on untenured faculty who has demonstrated a strong commitment to academic excellence. The award is named for Roy Dinsdale, a 1948 graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Business Administration who worked in a family farming and cattle operation. The recipient received a plaque and $2000.

• Dipti Dev, Betti and Richard Robinson Assistant Professor, Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies

The Omtvedt Innovation Award recognizes innovative faculty members, or a team led by faculty, who have demonstrated exceptional abilities and innovation in the areas of teaching, research or extension education. The individual recipients received $2,500 and a plaque. The team recipient received $5,000 per team and each member of the team received a plaque.

• Omtvedt Innovation Award for Extension: Jean Ann Fischer, associate extension educator, Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences
• Omtvedt Innovation Award for Teaching: Deepak Keshwani, associate professor, Biological Systems Engineering Department
• Omtvedt Innovation Award for Research: Edgar Cahoon, George Holmes Professor of Biochemistry and director of the Center for Plant Science Innovation
• Omtvedt Innovation Award for Team: Commodity Marketing Education Team. Team members are Kathleen Brooks, Jessica Groskopf, Robert Tigner and Cory Walters

Learn more about IANR faculty and staff awards.