Our Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment faculty consistently earn a variety of awards for their impactful research.

Bobby Pass Excellence in Grantsmanship Award

The Bobby Pass Excellence in Grantsmanship Award in the amount of $1,000 is presented to the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment faculty member receiving the most significant external award, or combination of awards, during the 2018-2023 academic years (July 1, 2018-June 30, 2023), while employed at UK.

This award is given in memory of Dr. Bobby Pass, who chaired the Department of Entomology from 1968-2001 and was dedicated to promoting scientific excellence. Faculty members should be nominated by their peers or departmental chair and endorsed by the chair. The winner of the award is chosen by a committee appointed by the Associate Dean for Research.

Preference will be given to proposals recognized for meritorious science. Indicators should include:

  • Evidence of peer-reviewed selection process
  • Evidence of degree of competitiveness
  • Evidence of national stature (e.g. federal agency awards)

Nominees must hold a position in a faculty title series and cannot hold administrative positions such as director or chair. Nominees cannot receive this award two years in a row.

Tiffany Messer

2024 Recipient: Tiffany Messer, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

High Impact Research/Extension Award

The High Impact Research/Extension Award in the amount of $1,000 is presented to faculty in a Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment research program that has resulted in a fully developed extension program during the 2018-2023 academic years (July 1, 2018-June 30, 2023) at UK.

The awards will go to both the research and extension faculty program leaders, if they are different. Programs should be nominated by investigators, chairs or directors and endorsed by chairs or directors. The winner of the award is chosen by a committee appointed by the Associate Dean for Research with input from the Associate Dean for Extension.

Research must have been conducted in the college, and the extension program must have been developed in the college.

Nominees must hold a position in a faculty title series and cannot hold administrative positions such as director or chair. Nominees cannot receive this award two years in a row.

Brad Lee and John Grove (Extension); Jason Unrine and Erin Haramoto (Research), Plant and Soil Sciences

2024 Recipients: Brad Lee and John Grove (Extension); Jason Unrine and Erin Haramoto (Research), Plant and Soil Sciences

Prestigious Original Research Paper Award

The Prestigious Original Research Paper Award in the amount of $1,000 is presented to a Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment faculty member based on the most prestigious research paper published during the 2018-2023 academic years (July 1, 2018-June 30, 2023), while employed at UK.

Faculty members should be nominated by their peers or departmental chair and endorsed by the chair. The winner of the award is chosen by a committee appointed by the Associate Dean for Research.

Nominations will be judged by scientific merit, citation of the article, and impact factor and prestige of the journal, as well as other distinctive criteria provided by the nominator.

Nominees must hold a position in a faculty title series and cannot hold administrative positions such as director or chair. Nominees cannot receive this award two years in a row.

Tomo Kawashima

2024 Recipient: Tomo Kawashima, Plant and Soil Sciences

Thomas Poe Cooper Award for Agriculture Research

Established by the will of Dean Cooper, the Thomas Poe Cooper Award for Agriculture Research is presented in recognition of outstanding career research achievement by a member of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment faculty.

Designed to recognize and encourage research excellence, this is the college’s premier award for distinguished scientific accomplishment.

Carl Bradley

2023 Recipient: Carl Bradley, Plant Pathology

University Research Professorships

The University Research Professorships were established by the UK Board of Trustees in 1976 to recognize excellence across the full spectrum of research, scholarship and creative endeavors at UK.

College leadership develop criteria for excellence within their area of expertise and nominate faculty who excel at these criteria. Each University Research Professor receives a one-year award of $10,000 and participates in the University Research Professors Lecture Series.

All Current UK Recipients

All Previous UK Recipients

Dan Howe

2025-26 Recipient: Dan Howe, Veterinary Science