2016 Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients Announced

Texas A&M University and The Association of Former Students have selected 24 outstanding members of the school’s faculty and staff to be honored with 2016 Distinguished Achievement Awards. The university-level Distinguished Achievement Awards were first presented in 1955 and have since been awarded to more than 1,000 professionals who have exhibited the highest standards of excellence at Texas A&M.

The 2016 Distinguished Achievement Awards will be formally presented at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, April 25, during ceremonies in Rudder Theatre on the Texas A&M University campus. In recognition of their achievements, each recipient will receive a cash gift, an engraved watch and a commemorative plaque.

The 2016 recipients along with their departments/affiliations are as follows.

For Teaching

Haipeng “Allan” Chen, Department of Marketing, Mays Business School

Melissa A. Grunlan, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering

Subodha Kumar, Department of Information and Operations Management, Mays Business School

Jennifer Mercieca, Department of Communication, College of Liberal Arts

Jeffrey M.B. Musser, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

David Peterson, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

David W. Reed, Department of Horticultural Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Ashley B. Saunders ʼ98, Department of Veterinary Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Bala Shetty, Department of Information and Operations Management, Mays Business School

X. Ben Wu, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

For Research

Kyle T. Alfriend, Department of Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering

David A. Bessler, Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Darryl de Ruiter, Department of Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts

Eduardo Espina, Department of Hispanic Studies, College of Liberal Arts

Richard H. Gomer, Department of Biology, College of Science

Karen L. Wooley, Department of Chemistry, College of Science

For Student Relations

I. Yucel Akkutlu, Department of Petroleum Engineering, College of Engineering

Robert “Jay” Woodward ʼ97, Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development

For Administration

Sharon Wilkerson, Dean, College of Nursing

For Extension, Outreach, Continuing Education & Professional Development

Wesley Bissett, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

For Staff

Minnette Bilbo, Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science

Camilla Sturdivant ʼ86, Department of Biology, College of Science

For Graduate Mentoring

Megan M. Carpenter, Texas A&M University School of Law

John L. Crompton, Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences