Honors & Awards

The Department of Plant Pathology congratulates those who have won both external and departmental awards and is thankful for the hard work and support of those who continue to allow the department to be successful and grow.

Elvin Charles Stakman Award

This award was created in honor of E.C. Stakman, former Head of the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota.  It was endowed as a fund in 1953 by friends, colleagues, and students to acknowledge E.C. Stakman’s contributions and scholarly leadership in biology and agriculture, and in education and the humanities.

The University of Minnesota is the custodian of the Fund and oversees its growth and security. 

The award is granted to individuals of any country and nationality for outstanding achievements in plant pathology.  The award may be given for documented achievements in the areas of research, teaching, outreach, international development, or for any combination of these areas.  Preference will be given to candidates actively engaged in these areas, only occasionally will life-time achievement awards be considered.

Each award is comprised of a medallion, a scroll, and a monetary honorarium.  The amount of the honorarium shall be determined by the E.C. Stakman Award Committee in consultation with the Department Head.

With any questions, or to sign up to be notified directly when nominations are being collected, please email [email protected].

Departmental Awards

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Norman E. Borlaug Fellowship in International Agriculture - With Support From the Vaala-Henry Endowment

This is awarded to graduate students studying Plant Pathology with an emphasis in International Agriculture, who demonstrate academic merit and exceptional potential in their field of study, who, in accordance with Dr. Borlaug's wishes, are conducting research on a small grain cereal crop.

Learn more about this award and how you can support it. 

2021 Recipient: Nick Greatens

Year

Recipient

2020 None
2019 None
2018 Eric Nazareno
2017 None
2016 Zennah Kosgey
2015 Feng Li
2014 Anil Adnikari
2013 Austin Case

Fred I. Frosheiser Scholarship

This scholarship was established in honor of former Professor F.I. Frosheiser to recognize full-time graduate students enrolled in the Department of Plant Pathology.

2023 Recipient: Pranaya Kaki

Past Recipients

Year

Recipient

2022 Sita Paudel
2021 Robert Alvarez Quinto
2020 Rebecca Hall
2019 Eric Nazareno
2018 Deepak Haarith
2017 Andrew Sathoff
2016 Austin Case
2015 Sara Bratsch
2014 Adil Essarioui
2013 Michelle Grabowski
2012 Dimitre Mollov
2011 Jon Menke
2010 Benjamin Held
2009 Ji-Hyun Park
2008 John Bienapfl
2007 Ann Impulliti
2006 Carmen Gavin Venegas
2005 Ryan Blaedow
2000 Alan Dyer
1999 Rhoda L . Burrows
1998 Warren Kruger
1997 Tsitsi Ndowora
1996 Akhilesh N. Misra

John Dueck Plant Pathology Fellowship

This fellowship was established in honor of John Dueck to recognize full-time graduate students enrolled in the Department of Plant Pathology.

2023 Recipient: Andrew Mann

Past Recipients

Year

Recipients

2022 Nick Rajtar
2021 Savanna Lipps
2020 Eric Nazareno
2019 Cristina Toapanta
2018 Feng Li
2017 Lillian McGilp
2016 Matthew Haas
2015 Josh Kielsmeier-Cook
2014 Sara Bratsch
2013 Peng Zhou
2012 Liangliang Gao

M.F. Kernkamp Scholarship

This fellowship was established in honor of former Professor and Head M.F. Kernkamp to recognize outstanding students of the Department of Plant Pathology at Minnesota. It is a cash award ($1,000), given only once to a specific recipient.

2023 Recipient: Davy Dekrey

Past Recipients

Year

Recipient

2022 Kristi Ledman
2021 Yeidymar Sierra Moya
2020 Nick Greatens
2019 Liam Genter
2018 Andrew Sathoff
2017 Deepak Haarith
2016 Jordan Briggs
2015 Nick LeBlanc
2014 Jordan Briggs
2013 Sara Bratsch / Melanie Moore
2012 None
2011 Daniel Schlatter
2010 Ryan Syverson
2009 Gregory Reynolds
2008 Pravin Gautam
2007 Ben Alsop
2006 Carlos Perez
2005 Ed Quirin 
2000 Silvia Pereyra
1999 Consuelo Estevez de Jensen
1998 Laszlo Gyenis
1997 Silvia Penuela
1996 J. Patrick Martinez

Ward C. Steinstra & Richard A. Meronuck Graduate Student Travel Award

This award was established by Professor Emeritus and Retired Extension Plant Pathologist. Dr. Ward C. Stienstra and Dr. Richard A. Meronuck, Extension Plant Pathologist to recognize outstanding graduate student research and to support student participation in professional scientific meetings. It is a cash award.

2023 Recipients: Molly Veregge, José E. Solórzano, Ji Hyun (Jay) Kim

Past Recipients

Year

Recipients

2022 Sita Paudel, Jacob Botkin, Sofia Simeto, Nick Talmo, 

Rae Page, Andrew Mann, Kristi Ledman, Davy DeKrey, Pranaya Kaki

2021 Jacob Botkin, Autin Lien, Sam Rude, Sofia Simeto
2020 Robert Alvarez-Quinto, Savana Lipps, Jacob Botkin, Rebecca Hall, Rae Page
2019 Pratibha Sharma / Nick Greatens / Becca Hall / Alissa Geske / Davy DeKrey / Rae Page
2018 Feng Li / Lauren Jackson / Kristi Ledman / Eric Otto / Eric Nazareno
2017 Garrett Beier/Mala Ganiger
2016 Lillian Garber/ Deepak Rajendran/ Andrew Sathoff/ Kat Sweeney
2015 Austin Case/ Matthew Haas / Josh Havill
2014 Jordan Briggs / Laura Felice / Matthew Haas / Joshua-Kielsmeier-Cook
2013 Benjamin Held / Laura Felice
2012 Zane Grabau / Dimitre Mollov / Gretchen Freed / Nicholas Leblanc
2011 Liangliang Gao / Lian Lian / Peng Zhou
2010 Brett Arenz / Benjamin Held / Peng Zhou
2009 Greg Reynolds / Matt Rouse / Liangliang Gao / Ji-Hyun Park
2008 Matthew Bakker / Benjamin Held
2007 Pravin Gautam / Haiyan Jia / Paul Meyer
2006 Ryan Syverson / Ben Millett / Maya Hayslett
2005 Brett Arenz / Pablo Olivera / Sharon Lewandowski / Carlos Perez
2004 Jean Rowntree / Rubella Goswami
2003 Matt Culler / Haiyan Jia / Maria Sanchez
2002 Charles Barnes / Yohong Li
2001 Shawn Bernick / Liz Wiggins
2000 Karen Hilburn / Jason Smith

Carl & Johanna Eide Endowment

This scholarship was established in honor of Dr. Carl and Johanna Eide to support outstanding students in the Department of Plant Pathology at Minnesota.

2023 Recipient: Nick Rajtar

Otto's research is focused on Heterobasidion root rot of pines, one of the most important pathogens of conifer forests in North America. He is exploring the distribution and elucidate the biology of Heterobasidion irregular, a new invasive pathogen in Minnesota with the goal of developing biological control strategies.

Past Recipients

Year Recipients
2022 Davy DeKrey
2021 Sofia Simeto Ferrari
2020 Yeidymar Sierra - Moya
2019 Kat Sweeney
2018 None
2017 Eric Otto
2016 Feng Li
2015 Garrett Beier
2014 N/A
2013 Laura Felice

Civil Service Award of Excellence

The Civil Service Award has been established to promote and recognize excellence in job performance among civil service personnel in the Department of Plant Pathology.

2023 Recipient: Beheshteh Zargaran

Past Recipients

Year

Recipients

2022 Chana Johnston/Crystal Langeberg
2021 Grace Anderson
2020 Jennifer Flynn
2019 Susan Kingsbury / Kimon Karelis
2018 Kristen Opitz / Matthew Martin

2017

Todd Burnes / Beheshteh Zargaran
2016 Grace Anderson / Dean Ziertman
2015 Todd Busker / Tamas Szinyei
2014 Roxanne Denny
2013 Carol Anderson / Anne Lageson
2012 Jennifer Flynn
2011 Todd Burnes
2010 Dimitre Mollov
2009 Stephanie Dahl
2008 Nancy Hamilton
2007 Carol Anderson
2006 Ann Arendt
2005 Joel Jurgens
2004 Todd Burnes
2003 Benjamin Held
2002 Jennifer Flor
2001 Amar Elakkad / Mark Galatowitsch
2000 Dann Adair / Gib Ahlstrand
1999 Laurie Brand / Todd Burnes
1998 Ann Arendt / Grace Bucher
1997 All Civil Service Employees
1996 John E. Haight / Leslie M. Johnson
1995 None
1994 None
1993 Sandra L. Gould
1992 Marguerite Clemens / Roxanne Denny
1991 Elizabeth Ozmon / Connie Post
1990 Andre Abad / Ann Arendt
1989 Todd Burnes / Dann Adair
1988 Patricia Burnes / Debra Baden Drange
1987 Gib Ahlstrand

Professional & Academic Award of Excellence

The Professional and Academic Award has been established to promote and recognize excellence in job performance among P&A personnel in the Department of Plant Pathology.  

2023 Recipients: Annie Harvieux

Past Recipients

Year

Recipients

2022

Rebecca Curland: Professional, 

2021 Grant Czadzeck: Professional, Ben Held: Scientific
2020 Claudia Castell-Miller
2019 None
2018 Lindsey Otto-Hanson
2017 Kristen Cooper
2016 Benjamin Held
2015 Lori Buboltz
2014 None
2013 Rebecca Curland
2012 Lindsey Otto-Hanson
2011 None
2010 None
2009 Yanhong Dong
2008 Crystal Floyd
2007 None
2006 Jason Brantner
2005 Steven Cannon

Distinguished Alumnus Award

The award is to recognize alumni who have achieved distinction in their profession and who have also made significant contributions to the welfare of the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota.

2020 Recipient: Not given due to COVID-19

Past Recipients

Year

Recipient

2019 Rubella Goswami
2018 Tarkus Segunda
2017 Vergel Concibido/Nora Altier
2016 Brad Mogen
2015 Kathy Kromroy
2014 Mohammed Boulif
2013 None
2012 Kira L. Bowen
2011 Markus Andres
2010 Robert Noyd
2009 None
2008 None
2007 Barbara Christ
2006 Phillip Berger
2005 George Hudler
2004 David Rizzo
2003 Al Ellingboe
2002 Paul Manion
2001 Eugene Hayden
2000 Mike Wingfield
1999 Mary Palm
1998 Dr. Bent Skovmand
1997 Dr. Barry Jacobsen
1996 None
1995 None
1994 Craig Grau
1993 Carols M. Ochoa

Friend of the Department

This award recognizes persons who may not be alumni of the Department but who have made significant contributions to the welfare of the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota.

2020 Recipients: Not given due to COVID-19

Past Recipients

Year

Recipient

2019 Dann Adair
2018 Lieberman & Okinow Families
2017 Alan Roelfs
2016 Bob Munson
2015 Don, Sandy and Drew Henry
2014 Eugene Hayden
2013 Mark Stennes
2012 Elisabeth Kaplan
2011 Larry J. Smith
2010 None
2009 Jerry Kruger
2008 Carol VanWhy
2007 Susan Tertell
2006 Robin Hanks
2005 Faye Kommedahl & Laura Weigrad
2004 Kim Mogen & Brad Mogen
2003 Tim Carver & Ann Bushnell
2002 None
2001 Tom Anderson
2000 None
1999 None
1998 Elizabeth Ozman & Mark Stennes
1997 John McCain & Barbara Anderson

Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor

Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor was created to recognize a faculty member who has had outstanding success in mentoring graduate students.

2023 Recipient: Becca Hall

2021 Recipient: Susan Kingsury

2020 Recipient: Ben Arenz