Donna Robertson, left and Meeshay Williams-Wheeler, Ph.D., right

Donna Robertson, a grants administrator in the Office of Agricultural Research, is the winner of the university’s award for excellence in performance.

As part of the honor, Robertson will receive $1,000 and a plaque. She was nominated by Meeshay Williams-Wheeler, an associate professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

“I sincerely appreciate this award. It was a surprise and a special honor,” Robertson said. “Our college has made remarkable accomplishments this year, and I’m so proud to be a part of the greatness.”

“Donna displays excellent ability to execute her tasks at the highest level,” Wheeler wrote in her nomination packet. “This makes me and other researchers feel confident that, when a proposal is submitted to an agency, it is accurate! It is correct! And it is submitted on time!”

As grants administrator, Robertson helps oversee the college’s research portfolio, currently at $34 million, by handling grant submissions and working with budgeting matters related to grants, including making sure they meet federal, state and university guidelines.

“Although writing grants and dealing with budgets and numbers can be daunting for many, Donna’s leadership and willing attitude always makes me feel so much at ease,” Wheeler wrote. “Because of her effective communication style, I always feel comfortable asking her any questions.”

Kathleen Liang, Ph.D.

Kathleen Liang, Ph.D. lent her expertise to international company Dow’s podcast series “Plastics Unwrapped.” Liang appears in Episode 8 , “Tackling the Plastic Waste Challenge Through Design,” looking at the challenges of innovating, encouraging investment and working in partnership to scale solutions that will ensure that plastics are part of a sustainable future.

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE HERE ON THESE STREAMING PLATFORMS

• Web: https://corporate.dow.com/en-us/science-and-sustainability/plastic-waste/plastics-unwrapped-podcast.html#ep8
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tackling-the-plastic-waste-challenge-through-design/id1553078470?i=1000560417969
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1LZUnYE28kfoaN0dW2PL0X
• Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zaW1wbGVjYXN0LmNvbS9QeGlpWTlYeA/episode/YWFmODI0NTYtOTdkZi00NjMwLTk1MDAtMWZjMTczMjRjNjc1?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjwuZjmi9z3AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ