Researchers from the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and Cooperative Extension N.C. A&T were honored by the college and the university this spring.

Harmandeep Sharma, Ph.D., a research assistant professor in crop science and digital agriculture, received the university’s Outstanding Young Investigator Award at a ceremony on April 24. The award honors tenure-track faculty members between their third and seventh year of service who are involved in research and show promise of making a significant contribution to their field.

"It is an honor to receive the Outstanding Young Investigator Award from North Carolina A&T,” Sharma said. “I am grateful for the support of my colleagues, students, and collaborators, and this recognition motivates me to continue advancing innovative, data-driven, and sustainable agricultural research while mentoring the next generation of agricultural professionals.”

Other university award winners include:

• Outstanding Teacher of the Year, CAES: Yewande Fasina, Ph.D., assistant professor of animal sciences.
• Outstanding Dissertation Advisor: Uchenna Anele, Ph.D., professor of animal sciences and interim chair of the Department of Animal Sciences.
• Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award: Blessing Masasi, Ph.D., assistant professor of biological engineering.

The college also honored staff at the CAES Faculty Research Awards of Excellence Luncheon on May 15.

• Outstanding Senior Researcher Award: Leonard Williams, Ph.D., director of the Center for Excellence in Post-Harvest Technologies (CEPHT) at the UNC Research Campus in Kannapolis.
• Outstanding Young Investigator Award: Kingsley Ekwemalor, Ph.D., teaching associate professor of animal sciences.
• Competitive Research Awards — Lead Principal Investigators: Andrea Gentry-Apple, DVM, coordinator of veterinary education and clinical associate veterinarian; Shengmin Sang, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Functional Foods and Human Health; Osei-Agyemang Yeboah, Ph.D., professor and director of the L.C. Cooper Jr. International Trade Center; Godfrey Uzochukwu, Ph.D., professor and director of the University’s Interdisciplinary Waste Management Institute; and Omoanghe Isikhuemhen, Ph.D., research professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Design.
• Competitive Research Awards — Co-principal Investigators: Godfrey Gayle, Ph.D., temporary consultant for the International Trade Center; Porché Spence, Ph.D., associate professor of environmental studies; Paula E. Faulkner, Ph.D., agricultural education professor; and Ekwemalor.
• High-Impact Journal Publications Awards — Niroj Aryal, Ph.D., chair and associate professor of biological engineering; Arnab Bhowmik, Ph.D., an associate professor of soil science and soil microbiology; Beatrice Dingha, Ph.D., research professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Design; Hao Feng, Ph.D., Blue Cross Blue Shield Endowed Professor of Urban Food Systems and director of the Urban and Community Food Complex; Guibing Chen, Ph.D., research professor at the CEPHT; Roberta Claro da Silva, Ph.D., associate professor of food and nutritional sciences; Reza Tahergorabi, Ph.D., professor of food and nutritional sciences; Yongjie Wang, Ph.D., assistant professor of animal sciences; Hye Won Kang, Ph.D., professor of food and nutritional sciences; Lijun Wang, Ph.D., professor of biological engineering; Jennifer Ross, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS); Jianmei Yu, Ph.D., a university program specialist and a Google Scholar in FCS; Anele; Williams; Fasina; Sharma; Isikhuemhen; Sang; and Masasi.