Outstanding faculty are being celebrated with a leafy legacy — trees planted in their honor on campus
K-State is the next-generation land-grant institution that knows the value of sharing our research to improve Kansas communities and the world beyond. So, a natural way to honor exceptional faculty is by planting a tree in their honor.
The Roots of Research honor program is enhancing the Manhattan campus and recognizing faculty members whose outstanding scholarly work will leave a deep-rooted legacy for future generations.
The first group of star faculty to be honored with a tree planting in their names feature leaders in fields from computer science to biology and public-serving projects from the Rural Grocery Initiative to the Beef Cattle Institute.
Inaugural awardees
- Amy Betz, mechanical and nuclear engineering
- Doina Caragea, computer science
- Rial Carver, Rural Grocery Initiative
- Elizabeth Dodd, English
- Carolyn Ferguson, biology
- Eric Fitzsimmons, civil engineering
- Wayne Goins, music, theatre and dance
- David Haukos, biology
- Socorro Herrera, curriculum and instruction
- Jun Li, chemistry
- Briana Nelson Goff, applied human sciences
- Vara Prasad, agronomy
- Kerry Priest, Staley School of Leadership
- Zak Ratajczak, biology
- Jürgen Richt, diagnostic medicine/pathobiology
- Susmita Rishi, landscape architecture and regional and community planning
- Ajay Sharda, biological and agricultural engineering
- Vaishali Sharda, biological and agricultural engineering
- Valentina Trinetta, food, nutrition, dietetics and health
- Brad White, Beef Cattle Institute
These living tributes have the added benefit of cultivating K-State’s status as a Tree Campus USA, creating an environment where both intellectual and natural growth can thrive.
“We are thrilled to honor our faculty’s unwavering dedication to advancing scholarship and improving lives, both in Kansas and around the globe,” said Hans Coetzee, vice president for research. “Their contributions are shaping a brighter future through knowledge, innovation and discovery.”
Written by: Heather Ackerly
Curated from: https://www.k-state.edu/today/announcement/?id=98879
