Vice Chancellor’s Awards recognize Texas A&M AgriLife personnel

Recipients honored for outstanding excellence

Texas A&M AgriLife faculty and staff were honored Jan. 14 during the Vice Chancellor’s Awards in Excellence ceremony, which followed the annual State of AgriLife Address, both held virtually this year.

The awards, established in 1980, recognize the commitment and outstanding contributions displayed across Texas A&M AgriLife and celebrate the contributions and achievements of faculty, students and staff members.

Recipients represent personnel in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M Forest Service and Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL.

Congratulations to Jason Gill, Ph.D. and Steve Canon who received Vice Chancellor’s Awards in Excellence this year.

Research Award

The Researcher Award was presented to Jason Gill, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Animal Science and the Center for Phage Technology. Gill’s research focuses on the biology and applications of bacteriophages to control pathogenic bacteria in food, animals and humans. Because of the emergence of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, the use of phages as antibacterial agents is a research area attracting great interest. Gill has authored 47 peer-reviewed publications, five book chapters and received funding support from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Staff Award

The Technical and Programmatic Staff Award was presented to Steven Canon, manager, livestock operations, Department of Animal Science. Canon coordinates over 10 facilities, their managers and hundreds of animals to support 1,480 students, research programs across all disciplines and species, and AgriLife Extension programs. One of his nominators said, “It’s rare to find someone so dedicated to excellence in all aspects of our university, from research and extension activities to teaching and mentoring students. People like Steve are imperative in our university and college’s mission to graduate and empower the next generation of our industry’s workforce.”

A full list of award winners was announced on AgriLife Today.

Read more.