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2009 - 11 - 19
Plant and Soil Sciences Students in the News

Students Attend SASES Meeting

Cody Claflin was elected to serve as the National Corresponding Secretary, Steven Snelson is serving as a Speech Committee Co-Chair, Elke Grether is serving as the National Activities Chairman, Jared Crain participated in the National Undergraduate Research Symposium. While in Pittsburgh, the students went on tours of a winery, organic farm and a community supported agriculture farm, attended business meetings and symposiums, and enjoyed a student social. ...more

Students Attend National FFA Convention

Brian Livesay and Meagan Morris both competed at the National FFA Convention. Brian won the fruit production proficiency award and Meagan won fifth high individual in floriculture contest. ...more

2009 - 11 - 13
Dr. Ron Sholar, Professor Emeritus featured on Fox News

Dr. Ron Sholar (PaSS alumnus, Professor Emeritus and Extension Crops Specialist) now Major-General/Deputy Commander of the Army Reserve Command was recently featured on Fox News promoting a fantastic new employer partnership program to help our returning veterans find jobs. ...more

2009 - 11 - 13
OSU Biofuels Team, research partners receive $4.2 million grant

STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State University and its partner institutions in industry are receiving $4.2 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to continue groundbreaking work in the development of biofuels.

The OSU Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources’ Ray Huhnke said the funding received through USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture represents great news for the public and diverse stakeholders within Oklahoma’s bioenergy industry.

“These funds will enhance key work being done by our cooperating scientists and engineers to develop advances in practices and technologies necessary to ensure efficient and sustainable production of cellulosic ethanol feedstocks,” he said. ...more

2009 - 11 - 12
OSU homeowner lawn-and-garden handbook honored

STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State University’s Hailin Zhang and Bill Raun did not have awards in mind when they updated the “Oklahoma Homeowner’s Handbook for Soil and Nutrient Management,” but that is exactly what they earned from the American Society of Agronomy.

Zhang and Raun’s work on the 2nd edition of the publication was honored with a 2009 Certificate of Excellence at the Nov. 1-5 combined meeting of the ASA, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America in Pittsburgh.

“This award-winning handbook brings cutting-edge research, honed over decades in cultivated field crops, to the lawns and gardens of Oklahoma, and does so in a format that is easy to understand and incorporate,” said Dave Porter, head of OSU’s department of plant and soil sciences. ...more

2009 -11- 10
Banks presented with award at Farm City Week banquet
Altus Times - Photo by Damon McGuire

At Thursday’s Farm City Week Banquet, The KWHW Radio sponsored “Legends of Agriculture Award” was presented by Eddie and Joan Wilcoxen to Dr. J. C. Banks, Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, State Extension Cotton Specialist, Resident Director, OSU Southwest Research & Extension Center.

Danny Robbins, Chairman, Oklahoma Cotton Council presented a Browning Shot Gun and Colonel Jon T. Thomas, Commander 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus Air Force Base presented Dr. Banks with the wing lithograph. Shown at far left is David Braddock.

2009 -11- 10
ASA-CSSA-SSSA meetings in Pittsburgh

Just a quick note to let you know how things went last week at the ASA-CSSA-SSSA meetings in Pittsburgh.  We had a very large group of people from PaSS attend the meetings this year.  I tried to count all the posters and oral presentations that we made, but couldn’t keep track.  We had several students who were there for the first time, and did an outstanding job! 

Some of the great things that came out of the meeting included:

Cody Claflin – SASES Corresponding Secretary
Elke Grether – SASES Student Activities Committee Chair
Steven Snelson – SASES Student Speech Contest Co-Chair
Jared Crain – 2nd place National Student Research Symposium Oral Contest
Dr. Zhang and Dr. Raun - Oklahoma Homeowner’s Handbook for Soil and Nutrient Management (E-1003), received the Award of Excellence. 
Dr. Hailin Zhang – SSSA Fellow
Dr. David Porter - ASA Fellow

2009 -11- 06
Staff Awards Day ceremony

Congratulations to the following honorees for their years of excellent and dedicated service to OSU and to PaSS.

Service Pin Recipients
Angela Leas – 5 years

Jackie Nidiffer – 10 years

Jason Tuner – 10 years

Richard Austin – 20 years

Connie Shelton – 25 years

Michael Kress – 25 years

Karen Coggeshall – 30 years

2009 -11- 06
Jared Crain, Woodward, OK to receive OSU Alumni Association Senior of Significance Award
The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association is pleased to announce 45 recipients of the
2009-2010 Seniors of Significance Award.

The Seniors of Significance Award honors those students who have excelled in scholarship, leadership and service for the OSU campus and Stillwater community.   This group represents approximately the top one percent of the 2009-2010 graduating class and the heart of the OSU experience. ...more

2009 -11-05
Dr. Raun recipient of the 2009 OSU Eminent Faculty Award
Oklahoma State University recognized the outstanding achievements of faculty, staff and administration on Nov. 4 during the annual University Awards Convocation at the OSU ConocoPhillips Alumni Center.

"Dr. Raun is highly regarded throughout the nation, as well as internationally, as one of the top researchers working on sensor-based technology and nitrogen use efficiency,” Strathe said. “His research is focused on making a difference in the lives of people and the environment in which they live. In 2007 alone, farmers in Oklahoma saved $6 million in fertilizer costs by not applying unnecessary nitrogen fertilizer, and other Oklahoma citizens were positively affected because excess nitrogen did not enter our water or air supplies.” ...more