Friends of IPM Awards
Now accepting nominations for 2025 Friends of IPM Awards ! Nominations close on October 11, 2024 at 6pm Eastern.
Find out more information about the Friends of IPM Awards Program Below. For information about the IPM Ambassador Travel Grants, click here.
About Our Center
The mission of the Southern IPM Center is to champion the development and adoption of integrated pest management, the science of managing pests while protecting people, the environment and economy. The Center engages broadly with stakeholders to identify and address regional pest priorities in agriculture, communities and natural areas. Since 2003, SIPMC has worked with USDA, Land Grant universities, Extension, and many other partners in promoting and facilitating the development and implementation of IPM in many settings across the region.
History of the Friends of IPM Awards Program
Beginning in 2008, the Southern IPM Center has recognized Friends of IPM– those with extraordinary potential to contribute to research, extension, or implementation of IPM in the Southern region of the United States. Many of the criteria for the awards are based on the National IPM Roadmap published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Those that are named “Friends of IPM” are given an award for their dedication and achievement.
Eligibility
Applicants must be based in the Southern region (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Virginia).
Nominations
Now accepting nominations for 2025 Friends of IPM Awards! Nominations close on October 11, 2024 at 6pm Eastern.
Award categories
Professional
The seven professional award categories are open to anyone in the Southern region demonstrating excellence in the field of IPM. Categories are as follows:
- Bright Idea (groups, inventions, tools, or data that improves IPM research, education, communication, or implementation)
- IPM Implementer (a practitioner who practices IPM in the real world)
- IPM Educator (extension or teacher)
- IPM Communicator ( professional that effectively communicates about IPM in either a formal or informal setting)
- Pulling Together (group)
- Future Leader (young professional)
- IPM Hall of Fame* (seasoned professional; Lifetime Achievement)
We will present only one award per category for Bright Idea, IPM Implementer, IPM Educator, IPM Communicator, Pulling Together, and Future Leader. However, in the event that scores are too close to call, there may be joint awardees.
For the IPM Hall of Fame award, we present awards to all nominees who meet the award criteria as determined by the review panel. *Please note that this is a lifetime achievement award; nominees should be in the end-stages of their career. Retirees are also eligible to be nominated for this award.
Graduate Student
- Masters
- Doctoral
We will present only one award per graduate category. However, in the event that scores are too close to call, there may be joint awardees.
The Prize
The program will provide recognition to all award winners. Each winner will receive a plaque to be presented at an appropriate venue before an audience of their peers.
The graduate student award, in addition to a public presentation of the award, comes with a sizable monetary award. The winning Masters student receives $2,000, and the winning doctoral student receives $3,000. Each department may nominate up to 3 Masters students and up to 3 Ph.D. students.
Previous Friends of IPM awardees by year
2024 Friends of IPM Award Recipients
- IPM Hall of Fame: Dr. Gene Reagan* (posthumous award), LSU AgCenter
- IPM Hall of Fame: Dr. Phillip Kaufman, Texas A&M
- IPM Hall of Fame: Dr. Brian T. Forschler, University of Georgia
- IPM Hall of Fame: Dr. Jawwad Qureshi, University of Florida
- Pulling Together: Emerging Viruses in Cucurbits Working Group
- Led by Dr. Rebecca Melanson, Mississippi State & William (Bill) M Wintermantel, USDA-ARS
- IPM Communicator: Mr. Elmer W. Gray, University of Georgia
- IPM Educator: Dr. Cameron Jack, University of Florida
- IPM Implementer: Mr. Dan Killingsworth, Environmental Security Pest Control
- Future Leader: Dr. Tommy Butts, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
- Master's Graduate Student: Ms. Jordan Melson, Auburn University
- Doctoral Graduate Student: Ms. Johnalyn Gordon, University of Kentucky
2023 Friends of IPM Award Winners
| Award | Awardee | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| IPM Hall of Fame | Dr. David Kerns | Texas A&M University |
| IPM Hall of Fame | Dr. William Hudson | University of Georgia |
| Pulling Together | Southeast Row-Crop Entomology Working Group Tarnished Plant Bug Team | Led by Dominic Reisig, NCSU |
| IPM Communicator | Molly Keck |
Texas A&M, |
| IPM Educator | Wizzie Brown | Texas A&M University, AgriLife Extension |
| IPM Educator | Dr. Thomas Allen, Jr. |
Mississippi State University |
| Future Leader | Dr. Zachariah Hansen | University of Tennessee |
| Master's Graduate Student | Korey Pham | Louisiana State University |
| Doctoral Graduate Student | Camilo Parada |
North Carolina State University
|
2022
IPM Hall of Fame:
- - Tom Royer, Oklahoma State University
- - Megha Parajulee, Texas A&M Agrilife
- - Phillip Brannen, University of Georgia
- - Scott Stewart, The University of Tennessee
- - Pasco Avery, UF/IFAS/IRREC
Bright Idea: Adam Dale, University of Florida
IPM Educator: Glenn Studebaker, University of Arkansas
IPM Implementer: Conetoe Family Life Center, Conetoe, NC
Pulling Together: Mosquito BEACONS Working Group,
Future Leader: Xavier Martini, University of Florida, IFAS
Master's Graduate Students (Joint Awardees):
- - Emma Volk, NC State
- - Julian Cosner, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Doctoral Graduate Student: Kelly Carruthers, University of Florida
2021
Lifetime Achievement : Nancy Hinkle, University of Georgia
Future Leader : Rebecca Melanson, Mississippi State University
Pulling Together: Ash Sial, Sustainable Spotted Wing Drosophila Management Team
IPM Educator : University of Florida, IPM Academy
IPM Implementer: Alton “Stormy” Sparks, University of Georgia
Bright Idea: Lambert H. B. Kanga, Florida A&M University
Doctoral Graduate Student: Kadie Britt, Virginia Tech
Masters Graduate Student: Oluwatomi Ibiyemi, Auburn University
2020
Bright Idea: Jawwad Qureshi, University of Florida (ENT)
IPM Implementer: Dini Miller, Virginia Tech (ENT)
IPM Educator: Raghuwinder (Raj) Singh, Louisiana State University (PLP)
Future Leader: Lauren Diepenbrock, University of Florida (ENT)
Lifetime Achievement: Michael Merchant, Texas A&M University (ENT)
Master's Student: Shelly Pate, UT Knoxville
Doctoral Student: Seth Dorman, Virginia Tech
2019
Bright Idea: Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia
IPM Implementer: Phillip M. Roberts, University of Georgia
IPM Educator: Jim Walgenbach, NC State
Future Leader: David Coyle, Clemson
Lifetime Achievement: Timothy Brenneman, University of Georgia
Master's Student: Matthew A. Borden, University of Florida
Doctoral Student: Lina Bernaola, Louisiana State University