College of Agriculture Research Awards for 1997-1998Researcher of the Year Award Recipient: David C. Rowe
Because of his work, social scientists can no longer assume that the environment is solely, or even mostly, responsible for human development. Rather, Rowe has forced many to consider genetic explanations for behavior. He has combined traditional approaches for investigating genetic effects with molecular genetic approaches. He is on a mission to discover which specific genes influence specific behaviors. Outstanding Research Staff Award Recipient: Thomas V. Orum
Supporters of his nomination for the award were uniform in their praise. One individual said "he has been an important part of breakthrough work in the area of tracking and mapping plant diseases using GIS. This approach has now been accepted as providing information not previously recognized, and has added new, dynamic perspectives on plant disease and epidemiology." Orum is an expert on the ecology of the saguaro and is often asked to speak at local meetings on this subject. His patience and friendly management style make him an excellent supervisor. He works tirelessly for hours, yet is always friendly and upbeat. Outstanding Research Team Award: The College of Agriculture Dairy Research Center
Team Members: Steve Faber, Nancy Faber, John Pulley, Tonya Randolph, Julie Stiever, Scott Beyer and Charley Hammond. Numerous members of the faculty and of the dairy industry in the state wrote strong letters of support for this team. In particular, the Fabers were cited for their contribution in turning the unit around to embody a true team effort based on TQM approach that involves employees in the decision process and in setting goals. One person wrote, "As the dairy now exists, we can all take pride in showing prospective students and visitors our research and teaching facilities and dairy herd." The current president of the Arizona Dairy Herd Improvement Association wrote "the team of employees at the dairy obviously have had to work together to accomplish the many changes. Opportunities exist for students to work and be involved in every facet of the operation--milking, breeding, feeding, herd health, calving and raising of baby calves. In terms of outreach they diligently attempt to visit three dairies out in the state every month. Last year, 9,000 children visited the facility." In quantitative terms, milk production from the Holstein cows has increased in the past two years from 18748 lbs to 23700 lbs, a 26% increase. In September 1998 the UA had the highest average in the state of Arizona for Holstein cows milked twice daily. The entire industry realizes that it took a team effort to attain that milestone. Article Written by Susan McGinley, ECAT, College of Agriculture Researcher:
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As a
professor of family studies and human development in the School of
Family and Consumer Resources, Rowe is an internationally recognized
behavioral geneticist whose research spans several disciplines, including
psychology, sociology, criminology, public health and molecular genetics.
He has held grants from many federal and private funding sources,
including the National Institute of Child Health and Development,
the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Harry F. Guggenheim Foundation,
and the MacArthur Foundation, totaling more than $1.7 million in the
past ten years. He has authored more than 120 publications in the
behavioral sciences and has published a sole-authored book, Limits
of Family Influence, which appeared in 1994. Rowe is a collaborative
researcher who works closely with other scientists from the UA and
other national and international institutions. 
Thomas
V. Orum is a principal research specialist in the Department of Plant
Pathology. A UA employee since 1977, Orum worked for 13 years as a
research technician and research specialist for plant pathologist
Stan Alcorn on diseases of desert plants, including saguaro, guayule
and jojoba. Since 1990 he has assisted Merritt Nelson, head of the
Department of Plant Pathology, in the application of geostatistics
and geographic information systems to plant virus epidemiology and
spatial patterns of Aspergillus flavus (a fungus disease) in
cotton fields. He has co-authored 17 refereed journal articles and
numerous technical publications. 