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Faculty Awards & Honors

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Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professors • Lilly Teaching Fellows

2013 Instructional Grant Recipients from the Office of the Vice President for Instruction

• Allison Haley, Simon Platt and Marc Kent (Small Animal Medicine): "Development of an Internet Based, Interactive Canine Neurology Teaching Model."
• Kelsey A. Hart, James N. Moore (Large Animal Medicine); Robert M. Gogal (Veterinary Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging); Ira G. Roth (Small Animal Medicine); along with Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn (Advertising/Public Relations) from the Grady College of Journalism: "Interactive Tools for Enhancing Instruction of Veterinary Diagnostic Skills."
• Mary Hondalus and Sreekumari Rajeev (Infectious Diseases); Brad Gilleland and Chris Herron (Educational Resources Center): "Incorporation of Computer Animated and Interactive Laboratory Learning Modules and Clinical Case Workup for Enhancement of Veterinary Student Engagement and Retention of Veterinary Microbiology."

2013 UGA Outstanding Teaching Faculty Awards

These awards were presented at the UGA Faculty Recognition Banquet, April 15, 2013. The recipients from the College of Veterinary Medicine were:

• Marc Kent, Small Animal Medicine
• James N. Moore, Large Animal Medicine
• Simon Platt, Small Animal Medicine
• Ira Roth, Small Animal Medicine

2012 Faculty Honors and Awards

Dr. Mark Jackwood, head of the Department of Population Health, was selected as a Distinguished Alumnus award winner from the University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The award was presented during a luncheon on Friday, October 19, 2012, as part of Delaware's Homecoming weekend. Dr. Jackwood received his BS and MS degrees from the University of Delaware.

The annual Honors and Awards Celebration was held Friday, April 20, 2011. Each of the four DVM candidate classes recognized a member of the faculty that the class felt has most contributed to its education to date. For the 2010-11 school year, those faculty members were:

• Dr. Cheri Roberts, a lecturer in anatomy from the department of veterinary biosciences & diagnostic imaging, was recognized by the class of 2015
• Dr. Kate Myrna, assistant professor of ophthalmology from the department of small animal medicine and surgery, was recognized by the class of 2014
• Dr. Marc Kent, neurologist from the department of small animal medicine and surgery, was recognized by the class of 2013
• Dr. Ira Roth, director of the Community Practice Clinic, from the department of small animal medicine and surgery, was recognized by the class of 2012

March 14, 2012: The Association of University Technology Managers recognized Dr. Bran Ritchie in their most recent "Better World Report" for his work on antimicrobials. Read more in the press release: Three UGA inventors recognized for helping to create a 'Better World'

2011 Faculty Honors and Awards

Dr. John Glisson, former department head of the Department of Population Health, was awarded the J.T. Mercer Lifetime Achievement Award 2011 by the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association during their annual business meeting, Saturday, November 5, 2011.

The Dobbins-Mahaffey Advocacy Award was established by the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association in 2011. The award recognizes those members who have provided outstanding service to the GVMA in the area of Advocacy. It was named in honor of two former faculty members at the CVM, Charles N. Dobbins, Jr., DVM, of Athens, Ga., and Edward A. Mahaffey, DVM, of Watkinsville, Ga., for their long-time dedication to legislative affairs for the GVMA, specifically in the legislative action committee, which they had chaired for more than 10 years prior to retiring from the committee in 2011.

The annual Honors and Awards Celebration was held Friday, April 29, 2011. Each of the four DVM candidate classes recognized a member of the faculty that the class felt has most contributed to its education to date. For the 2010-11 school year, those faculty members were:

• Dr. Cynthia Ward, internist from the department of small animal medicine and surgery, was recognized by the class of 2014
• Dr. Corrie Brown, from the department of pathology, was recognized by the class of 2013
• Dr. Marc Kent, neurologist from the department of small animal medicine and surgery, was recognized by the class of 2012
• Dr. Ira Roth, director of the Community Practice Clinic, from the department of small animal medicine and surgery, was recognized by the class of 2011

Dr. Randy Eggleston, clinical associate professor in the department of large animal medicine, received the Pfizer Distinguished Teacher Award. Eggleston was selected on the basis of his character, leadership and teaching ability as judged by the responsiveness of his students.

The following faculty awards were presented during Phi Zeta Day, Friday, April 8, 2011:

• Charles Dobbins Award for Excellence in Service: Dr. Murray Hines III, professor in the department of pathology and head of the Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory
• Outstanding Hospital Service Award: Dr. David Jiménez and Dr. Shannon Holmes, assistant professors in the department of anatomy and radiology
• Outstanding Laboratory Service Award: Dr. Sreekumari Rajeev, an assistant professor in the department of infectious diseases based at the Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory


• Dr. Robert Gogal, associate professor in the department of anatomy and radiology, received the Pfizer Award for Research Excellence for the quantity and quality of the research manuscripts he has produced in the last three years, as well as the service he provides to the scientific community.
• Dr. Andrew W. Park, received the John M. Bowen Award for Excellence in Research. Much of Park’s work aims to describe observed patterns in animal diseases, including the emergence of macro-parasite drug resistance in ruminants, the evolutionary escape of equine influenza from vaccine treatments and the complex spatiotemporal patterns of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in white-tailed deer in the United States. Park is an assistant professor in the Odum School of Ecology with a joint appointment in the department of infectious diseases of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Dr. Chad Schmiedt was presented with the Clinical Research Award in recognition of the progress he has made towards understanding the mechanisms of post-transplantation hypertension, a finding that will benefit both animals and people. He is an assistant professor of soft tissue surgery in the department of small animal medicine and surgery.
• The David Tyler Award for Advances in Teaching was awarded to Dr. Michelle Barton, who is the Fuller Callaway professor of large animal internal medicine in the department of large animal medicine. Dr. Barton was recognized for being instrumental in implementing the automated response systems in the college’s classrooms, and for being a leader in implementing new technologies for instructional use.
• The Morrow B. Thompson Award was presented this year to Dr. Shawn Zimmerman, who is a third-year resident in clinical pathology. Sponsored by Dr. Dolores Kunze, the Thompson Award is presented to a senior student or resident who excels in veterinary clinical pathology.

2010 Faculty Honors and Awards

Dr. Doris Miller received the E.P. Pope Memorial Award on November 14, 2010, during the 53rd Annual Meeting of the AAVLD in Minneapolis, Minn. The Pope Award is the highest award given by the AAVLD and is presented to an individual who has made noteworthy and significant contributions to the AAVLD with regard to implementing and advancing the recognition of the specialty of veterinary diagnostic laboratory medicine.

The annual Honors and Awards Celebration was held Friday, April 16, 2010. Each of the four DVM candidate classes recognized a member of the faculty that the class felt has most contributed to its education to date. For the 2009-10 school year, those faculty members were:

• Dr. Cheri Roberts, from the department of anatomy and radiology, was recognized by the class of 2013
• Dr. Corrie Brown, from the pathology department, was recognized by the class of 2012
• Dr. Michelle Henry Barton, a professor of large animal internal medicine and the college's Callway Chair Professor, was recognized by the class of 2011
• Dr. Karen Cornell, an associate professor in the department of small animal medicine and surgery, and the acting director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, was recognized by the class of 2010

Dr. Amelia Woolums, assistant professor of large animal internal medicine, received the Pfizer Distinguished Teacher Award. Woolums was selected on the basis of her character, leadership and teaching ability as judged by the responsiveness of her students.

Awarded during Phi Zeta Day, Friday, April 9, 2010:

• Charles Dobbins Award for Excellence in Service: Dr. Jeremiah T. Saliki
• Outstanding Hospital Service Award: Dr. Benjamin M. Brainard and Dr. Amie Koenig
• Outstanding Laboratory Service Award: Dr. Susan Sanchez

2009 Faculty Honors

• Dr. Jim Moore was awarded a Morris Animal Foundation grant for his proposal: "Effects of Bacterial Toxins on Immune System"

• Dr. Brett Tennent-Brown was awarded a Morris Animal Foundation grant for his proposal: "Better Understanding of Colitis"

• Dr. David Hurley was awarded a Morris Animal Foundation grant for his proposal: "Determining How Horses Fight Infectious Disease"

• Dr. Ben Brainard was awarded a Morris Animal Foundation grant for his proposal: "Comparing Drugs That Decrease Clotting Complications"

• Dr. Lisa Williamson was awarded a Morris Animal Foundation grant for her proposal: "Determining Optimal Dosing for Dewormers"

• Dr. Steeve Giguère was awarded a Morris Animal Foundation grant for his proposal: "Insight into Vaccine Development"

• Dr. Susan Sanchez secured funding from the GA Aquarium for her project: "Fast growing mycobacteria: Primary pathogen or commensal in cold water exhibits?"

• Dr. Cynthia Ward received the Student AVMA Teaching Excellence Award-Basic Sciences at the Annual AVMA meeting. The award recognizes excellence, innovation and enthusiasm in the field of clinical veterinary science and education.

• Dr. Scott Brown received the Royal Canin Award at the Annual AVMA meeting. The awards recognizes veterinarians whose work in either clinical research or basic sciences, within the preceding five years, has contributed to the advancement of small animal medicine or surgery.

• Drs. Elizabeth Howerth and David Stallknecht received Distinguished Service Awards from the Wildlife Disease Association at the national meeting. The awards were received for contributions as co-editors of the Journal of Wildlife Diseases.

• Dr. Jerry Saliki was re-appointed to a third 3-year term as Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation.

• Dr. Corrie Brown was appointed as Associate Editor of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

The annual Phi Zeta Awards Day was held at the College on Friday, April 17, 2009. Faculty inducted into the honor society included:

Dr. Ben Brainard
Dr. Naola Ferguson-Noel
Dr. R. Keith Harris
Dr. Egbert Mundt
Dr. Simon Platt
Dr. Guillermo Zavala

Faculty recognized for excellence in service to the college included:

Dr. Doris Miller — Clarles Dobbins Award for Excellence in Service
Dr. Clay Calvert — Outstanding Hospital Service Award
Dr. Cathy Brown — Outstanding Laboratory Service Award
Dr. Mark Jackwood — Pfizer Award for Excellence in Research
Dr. Jeff Hogan — John M. Bowen Award for Excellence in Animal Research
Dr. Benjamin Brainard — Clinical Research Award
Dr. Melinda Camus — Morrow Thompson Award

2008 Teaching Awards

The following awards were presented during Honors and Awards Night, April 25, 2008:

Dr. Cheri Roberts, Department of Anatomy and Radiology: Norden Distinguished Teacher Award, chosen by her students on the basis of her character, leadership and teaching ability.

Dr. Tom Purinton, Department of Anatomy and Radiology (now retired): Class of 2011 Faculty Recognition Award

Dr. Cynthia Ward, Department of Small Animal Medicine: Class of 2010 Faculty Recognition Award

Dr. Ursula Dietrich, Department of Small Animal Medicine: Class of 2009 Faculty Recognition Award

Dr. Simon Platt, Department of Small Animal Medicine: Class of 2008 Faculty Recognition Award

2008 Faculty Honors

The annual Phi Zeta Awards Day was held at the College on Friday, April 18, 2008. Faculty recognized for excellence in service to the college included:

Charles L. Hofacre was awarded the Charles Dobbins Award for Excellence in Service for his work as director of clinical services for the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center.

Pauline M. Rakich received the Outstanding Laboratory Service Award for her 25 years of committed service to the Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

Catherine E. Kosarek, an oncologist in the Small Animal Teaching Hospital, was awarded the Outstanding Hospital Service Award for her compassionate work with clients and colleagues.

Ray M. Kaplan, an associate professor in infectious diseases, received the Pfizer Award for Excellence in Research for his research in parasitology.

Michael Yabsley, an assistant professor in the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, received the John M. Bowen Award for Excellence in Animal Research.

Erik Hofmeister, an assistant professor in small animal medicine, received the Clinical Research Award.

• The following large animal medicine faculty received research awards this summer from the Morris Animal Foundation: Dr. Kira Epstein, Dr. Jim Moore, Dr. Alessandra Pellegrini and Dr. Michel Vandenplas.

• Dr. Zhen Fu has been selected as a 2008-09 Administrative Fellow in the UGA Provost's Office.

• Dr. John Maurer has been recognized as an outstanding faculty mentor for the UGA Honors Program.

• Dr. Amelia Woolums has been asked to serve as chair of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists exam committee.

• Dr. John Maurer has been selected for the 2008 CURO Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award (at UGA), which will be presented at the CURO Symposium in March.

• Dr. Steve Budsberg is president-elect of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and will assume the presidency this fall.

• Dr. Michelle Barton is president-elect of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Specialty of Large Animal Internal Medicine) and assumes presidency this June.

• Dr. Karen Cornell is chair of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons examination committee.

2007 Faculty Honors, Grants and Awards

• Holly Moore Brown received a Morris Animal Foundation Fellowship.

• Dr. Chad Schmiedt’s grant proposal "Creation of a model for hypertension following cold ischemic injury and renal transplant in the rat" was funded by UGA's Faculty Research Grants Program.

• The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health has awarded Dr. Zhen Fu (PI) and Dr. Ralph Tripp of the College of Veterinary Medicine a $1.18 million grant to develop rabies vaccines. This award is the continuation of a previous four-year $837,000 grant issued by NIAID in 2002 to initiate the study.

• Dr. Xiaoqin Ye in Physiology & Pharmacology recently received a Faculty Research Grant, "Establishment of luminal endometrial epithelial cell lines from lysophopholipid receptor knockout mice."

2007 Teaching Awards

The following awards were presented during Honors and Awards Night, April 20, 2007:

Wan-I Oliver Li, physiology and pharmacology: Norden Distinguished Teacher Award, chosen by his students on the basis of his character, leadership and teaching ability.

Sherry Sanderson, physiology and pharmacology: Class of 2010 Faculty Recognition Award

Cynthia Ward, small animal medicine and surgery: Class of 2009 and Class of 2008 Faculty Recognition Awards

Karen Cornell, small animal medicine and surgery: Class of 2007 Faculty Recognition Award

2007 Research Awards

The following awards were presented during Honors and Awards Night, April 20, 2007:

Liliana Friedmann, infectious diseases: Pfizer Animal Health Award for Research Excellence for her research in immune system response and disease prevention.

Other awards presented this year include:

S. Mark Tompkins, infectious diseases: John M. Bowen Award for Excellence in Animal and Biomedical Research for his research on human and avian influenza strains.

Ralph Tripp, Mark Tompkins and Jeff Hogan, infectious diseases: NIH Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance.

2007 Promotions and Tenure

Dr. John Peroni, Associate Professor with Tenure, Dept. LAMS

Dr. Bruce LeRoy, Associate Professor with Tenure, Dept. Pathology

Dr. Jaroslava Halper, Professor, Dept. Pathology

Dr. Mel Pence, Professor, Dept. Population Health

Dr. Cynthia Ward, Tenure, Dept. SAMS

Dr. Eric Hofmeister, Assistant Professor, Dept. SAMS

This page was last updated on May 22, 2013.