 Good afternoon everyone and welcome to our 2020 awards program for agriculture and extension faculty and staff awards. Pleased to welcome you here today. My name is Greg Lardy, Vice President for agricultural affairs. I was just thinking about how fun it would be to be together with you face to face and especially enjoying the conversation and, and taking part in the cookies and treats afterwards. But we're here today in a virtual format because of the pandemic to celebrate our awards program. And even though we can't gather together face to face, we are here to celebrate a strong and rich tradition of recognizing the accomplishments of our faculty and staff. And this year, as a special occasion, this marks the 30th anniversary of this program. This year, there are 40 nominees, and each nominee will receive a $50 gift card to the NDSU bookstore that may be used either online or in the store. And each of the 10 award recipients will receive $1,000 on a honorarium. We want to stay a special thank you to those of you who submitted nominations. We know that this takes time and effort on your part. And that is much appreciated. We also want to thank those that serve on the selection committees to determine the award winners year after year we hear how hard it is to recommend just one individual per award. And this is a testament to the stellar nominations of our faculty and staff that are submitted each year. We were hoping to have President Brashani with us this afternoon, but he texted me just a bit of go and indicated that the Chancellor's Cabinet meeting that he's involved with was running long. And so he sends his regards and his regrets and wanted me to extend a special congratulations to all the nominees and to all the winners. It's really important for us to have a president that supports us in this land-grant university with our efforts and extension teaching and research and so we're thankful to President Brashani for his support. Oh, there he is. He must be. Dr. Lardy, I did just make it. There we go. President, you could not have said it better Dr. Lardy and to everyone. This annually is one of my favorite events typically in person because you are the very essence of what the land-grant system was created for. You are the boots on the ground. You're the hands in the soil. I could go on with the analogies, but my point is what you do matters extraordinarily to the state of North Dakota and the people we serve. And so this event and the people recognized at this event are very, very special to me. And that's the case, whether we do it in person or whether we do it through a Zoom video conference. So thank you for what you do, everyone. Thank you for what you do. And thank you, Greg, for letting me jump in here real quick. President Brashani, thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate you taking the time to be with us at this program. And today is Howard Dahl, who is representing our sponsors. Howard is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Amity Technology. He and his brother Brian established the Eugene R. Dahl Excellence in Research Award in 1996 to honor their father. We've asked Howard to share a few comments with us this afternoon. Thank you, Greg, and President Brashani, well spoken about. This is a gift to the people of North Dakota, this great team of people in the College of Agriculture. I have the privilege of knowing so many of you and I can't tell you the respect that I have. Howard is a champion of innovation, whether the work at Bobcat or Steiger or a Concord business and he received the Harvest Bull Award. Right before he, he was announced before he died and he three weeks before he died, the main thing he wanted to know from my brother and me, what are you doing that's new and innovative. Obviously when Roland approached as many years ago about this wonderful program to honor those who do great work. We said, can we sponsor the senior researcher in the College of Agriculture doing doing research and it was just one of the best things we've done and we just strongly appreciate all the work that everyone in the College of Agriculture does to make this a great state and so I can't say enough about our privilege to be part of this and it's just a great honor for us. Howard, thank you for those comments and especially thank you for your long history of supporting our awards program and for the dedication you have to recognizing our recipients. We want to take a moment to recognize some of the special guests that are with us here today we've invited several members of the President's Cabinet and other groups to be with us and so just as I'm reviewing the participant function here I know that we've got Provost Fitzgerald with us this afternoon, Brian Kalk, Director of the Research and Technology Park, Jane Shue, Vice President for Research and Creative Activities as well as Mark Birdsall, Chair of the State Board of Ag Research and Education. We also want to take this time to recognize the donors and others who've made it possible for this awards program to be conducted so thank you to all of our special guests who are with us this afternoon. Let's get started with the nominees for the research awards. Hello, I'm Frank Casey, the Associate Director of the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, and I'm pleased to introduce the nominees for the two research awards. The first award, the Larson Yeagie Excellence in Research Award, was established to recognize outstanding faculty and research extension center principal investigators with 10 or fewer years of service. The recipient must have made a significant research contribution that addresses an applied problem or increases the basic knowledge of the area investigated. Our thanks to the Larson and Yeagie families for sponsoring this award. Following are the nominees for the Larson Yeagie Excellence in Research Award. I'm Frank Manthing, Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences, and our department enthusiastically nominated Dr. Bing Ken Chen. Dr. Chen is an outstanding young scientist with exceptional research and leadership abilities and potential. I'm Jason Harmon, Associate Professor in the School of Natural Resource Sciences, and we nominated Dr. Tori Hovik. Dr. Hovik has used his diverse skill set to address relevant problems and try to serve the state to the best of his ability. I'm Claire Keen, Extension Specialist and Cropping Systems at the Williston Research Extension Center, and I nominated our plant pathologist, Dr. Audrey Kalyle. Dr. Kalyle is a passionate and productive researcher who leads a multifaceted applied research program that is serving the needs of farmers in western North Dakota. Congratulations to all the nominees. This year's recipient of the Larson Yeagie Excellence in Research Award is Dr. Bing Ken Chen. Congratulations, Dr. Chen. Dr. Chen is an excellent young scientist with a terrific attitude and great enthusiasm for his research. He has built a strong collaborative and multifaceted research program as evidenced by his outstanding publication record, including 56 referee journal articles in the past five years. He also successfully supported his program and his graduate students by obtaining grants totaling over $1.8 million as PI and $2.65 million as co-PI, including several highly competitive USDA, NIFA, and specialty crop grants. Dr. Chen was recently awarded the AOCS 2020 Young Scientist Research Award, a prestigious and highly competitive award that is voted on by a panel of national and international experts. Congratulations, Dr. Chen. The second award, the Eugene R. Dahl Excellence in Research Award, was established to recognize outstanding faculty and research extension center principal investigators with 11 or more years of service. The recipient must have a distinguished research program in basic or applied sciences that has gained significant recognition in the state, regionally or nationally and or internationally. Our thanks to the Eugene R. Dahl family for sponsoring this award. The following are the nominees for the Eugene R. Dahl Excellence in Research Award. I am Jia Jia Rao, assistant professor in the department of plant sciences, and our department nominated Dr. Marisa Bertie. What makes Dr. Bertie a great researcher is her observation skills, compassion for her students, great scientific mind, and her desire to improve society. I'm David Hopkins, professor in the School of Natural Resource Sciences, soil science, and our faculty have nominated Dr. Tom DeSutter. As a scientist, Dr. DeSutter is legitimately world class and someone in the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and in the issue should be exceptionally proud of. Good afternoon. My name is Jack Rasmussen and I'm the head of the Department of Plant Pathology. I am pleased that my department nominated Dr. Berlin Nelson for this award. Dr. Nelson has dedicated his career to increasing the profitability of North Dakota's soybean producers by understanding and managing diseases in the field. I am William Ganje, chair of agribusiness and applied economics department. Our department nominates Dr. Salim Sheikh. Dr. Sheikh is one of the strongest researchers on the NDSU campus and his research on crop insurance and efficiency is regularly cited by leading experts in our profession. Congratulations to all the nominees. This year's recipient of the Eugene R. Dahl Excellence in Research Award is Dr. Tom DeSutter. Dr. DeSutter's research career has involved the wide scope of topics and his publication record is extensive. He has secured $9.56 million in grants, $2.15 million as his portion, and published 109 peer-reviewed journal articles including publications in some of his discipline's most prestigious journals. His contributions have been significant at the regional, national and international levels based on the many citations by others to his publications. Dr. DeSutter's research has greatly improved the livelihood of North Dakotans, including homesteaded families whose lives have been gravely affected by their lands depletion. He has made deep personal connections while working closely with these people to bring their land back to productivity. In recognition of his academic excellence at NDSU, Dr. DeSutter recently received the 2020-2021 Phi Kappa Phi Lectureship. Congratulations to Dr. DeSutter. Good afternoon. I'm David Buchanan, Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Agricultural Food Systems and Natural Resources. I'm pleased to introduce the nominees for two teaching awards and one advising award. Erlen Dorothy Foster Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes outstanding teaching with ten or fewer years of service in the College of Agriculture Food Systems and Natural Resources. The award encourages and rewards excellence in teaching at all levels and among all disciplines. Nominees must hold a teaching appointment in the college and be in the 2000 job band. Our thanks to Erlen Dorothy Foster for sponsoring this award. The following are the nominees for the Erlen Dorothy Foster Excellence in Teaching Award. I'm John McAvoy, Head of the Department of Microbiological Sciences and our department nominated Danielle Condry. Dr. Condry is an innovative and passionate teacher who demonstrates from day one that she is 100% committed to each student's personal and intellectual growth. I'm Sean DeKaiser, Professor and Program Lead for Natural Resource Management in the School of Natural Resource Sciences. And we nominated Kayla Gash for the Erlen Dorothy Foster Excellence in Teaching Award. Dr. Gash strives to make cutting-edge science and its application engaging and accessible to all students. I'm Tara Swanson, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Animal Sciences and our department nominated Lauren Halsman-Hanna. Dr. Hanna is a strong believer in using active learning to create a learning environment that encourages students to use critical thinking skills. I am Shena Aishimshik, Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and our department nominated Dr. Todd West. He is a teacher in the true sense of the word. I'm William Ganju, Chair of Agribusiness and Applied Economics Department. Our department nominates Dr. Lezang, Lez an amazing teacher who continuously strives to adopt pedagogical alternatives that result in success for all her students. Congratulations to all the nominees. This year's Erlen Dorothy Foster Excellence in Teaching Award goes to Dr. Todd West. Dr. West does an extraordinary job of using innovative teaching techniques to enhance students' educational experiences as well as providing excellent teaching and advising. He brings energy and innovation to the classroom and has demonstrated a steady mastery of course material with consistent updates to course content and has a strong teaching philosophy that reflects a willingness to challenge students while treating them fairly. His peer and student evaluations are strong and his student reading and instruction scores are exceptional. He has obtained grant funds to support his teaching, published work regarding his teaching methods, and engaged in scholarly activities to enhance teaching. Congratulations, Dr. West. Our next award is the H-Rolled and Chanted Lawn Excellence in Teaching Award. It recognizes outstanding teaching faculty with 11 or more years of service in the College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources. The award encourages excellence in teaching at all levels and among all disciplines. Nominees must hold a teaching appointment in the College and be in the 2000 job band. Our thanks to Rolled and Chanted Lawn for sponsoring this award. The following are the nominees for the H-Rolled and Chanted Lawn Excellence in Teaching Award. This is Stephen Foster, Professor in the School of Natural Resource Sciences Entomology. I'm Dr. Dr. Deirdre Prishman-Volzeth. Since arriving at NDSU, Deirdre has proven herself to be an outstanding teacher. She has transformed undergraduate teaching of entomology at NDSU by challenging students using a multifaceted approach combining didactics, practical labs, and creative challenges. I'm Stacey Osby, Co-Director and Lecturer in the Veterinary Technology Program in the Department of Animal Sciences. Our department nominated Tara Swanson. As an instructor, peer, and mentor, Tara Swanson inspires excellence, ignites the imagination, and instills a contagious passion for learning through all interactions, coursework, and student experiences she provides. Dr. Buchanan, you're muted. Congratulations to all the nominees. This year's recipient of the H-Rolled and Chanted Lawn Excellence in Teaching Award is Dr. Deirdre Prishman-Volzeth. Dr. Prishman-Volzeth is an outstanding recipient for this award. She has exceptional contributions to scholarly activities related to teaching, and without question contributes to the enhancement of teaching as a profession. She has a willingness to transform courses to better meet the needs of students, making lectures more active and engaging. Her labs are a mix of field study, scientific collection, and inquiry-based learning. She has an obvious mastery of entomology as a subject matter, and a willingness to share knowledge with many different levels of students. Congratulations to Dr. Prishman-Volzeth. The next award, the William J. and Angela A. Austin Excellence in Advising Award, recognizes the contributions of faculty and staff who have demonstrated excellence in advising undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources, and or its student organizations. Our thanks to the William J. and Angela A. Austin family for sponsoring this award. The following are the nominees for the William J. and Angela A. Austin Excellence in Advising Award. I am William Ganje, Chair of Agricultural Business and Applied Economics Department. Our department nominates Dr. Eric Hansen. Accessibility to students is one of Eric's core principles, both inside and outside the classroom. My name is Todd West, and it is my pleasure to nominate Dr. Harleen Haderman-Volente. Her efforts include advising undergraduate and graduate students. She was the undergraduate horticulture program coordinator from 2005 to 2012, and is one of the main horticulture undergraduate advisors with a significant number of students to advise and mentor. Dr. Haderman-Volente truly goes above and beyond the standard role and expectations of an advisor at NDSU and our college. Hello, my name is Christina Harjes. I'm an associate professor in the natural resource management program in the School of Natural Resource Sciences. This year we nominated Dr. Jack Norland for this award because he genuinely has a desire to make sure each and every student reaches their full potential with every opportunity available. Good luck to all the nominees. Congratulations to all the nominees. This year's recipient of the William J. and Angela A. Austin Excellence Advising Award is Dr. Harleen Haderman-Volente. Dr. Haderman-Volente demonstrates an outstanding commitment to students through formal and informal advising and service. She has a long history of effective caring advising of undergraduate and graduate students. She clearly understands that advising is more than just assisting with what classes students should take. Instead, it is also about providing opportunities and advice for careers and even non-academic personal issues. She has also demonstrated leadership as a faculty advisor for student organizations, is a mentor in the first year experience program, and a member of the Learning Support Coalition. She is a known advising expert in her department and a go-to faculty member for many others. Congratulations to Dr. Haderman-Volente. Hi, I'm Lynette Flage, NDSU Extension Associate Director, and I'm pleased to introduce the nominees for the two extension awards. The first award, the Excellence in Extension Early Career Award, was established to encourage and reward significant accomplishments and excellence in extension educational programs. Individuals with 10 or fewer years of service to NDSU Extension are eligible for nomination. The nominees must hold an extension appointment and be in the 2000 job band. Following are the nominees for the Excellence in Extension Early Career Award. I'm Jane Heian, Administrative Assistant at Cavalier County Extension, and our department nominated Dr. Anitha Tirumamila. Anitha is a dedicated, knowledgeable, humble extension agent who strives to educate and make an impact on the citizens of Cavalier County and the people of North Dakota. She's just a joy to work within our office. Thank you. I'm David Ripplinger, Economic Specialist with NDSU Extension. The Department of Agri-Business and Applied Economics nominated Dr. Brian Parment. Dr. Parment is the first person to be nominated in the NDSU Extension Award for the Excellence in Extension Early Career Award. Dr. Parment is the first person to be nominated in the NDSU Extension Award for the Excellence in Extension Early Career Award. Dr. Parment believes in the mission of cooperative extension and demonstrates that commitment through his collaborative efforts. Hi, I'm Andy Robinson. I'm an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences, and our department nominated Dr. Tom Peters. Dr. Peters has been a tremendous asset for the sugar beet industry in Minnesota and North Dakota. I'm Carl Dahlin, Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences, and our department nominated Dr. Gerald Stucco. He speaks in terms that lay people can understand and has focused his research work on endeavors with ready and real-world application to North Dakota's beef cattle operations. Hello, I'm Kevin Sadovic, Professor of Range Science in the School of Natural Resource Sciences. It is my pleasure to announce our nominee, Dr. Abby Wick. Dr. Wick is extremely skillful at developing educational programs and compiling a team to deliver these programs effectively to our state's clientele. Congratulations to all of the nominees. This year's recipient of the Excellence in Extension Early Career Award is Dr. Anita Churma-Mila. Dr. Churma-Mila, Anita, exceeds the performance expectations for extension agents. She's made a significant contribution to the identified needs of stakeholders in her region and has delivered important programming on soybean aphid insecticide resistance, herbicide mode of actions, invasive weeds, soil health, youth horticulture, and canola diseases such as clobrit. The breadth of her programming demonstrates her comfort with different disciplines. In addition, she's adopted multidisciplinary teaching methods to effectively teach her stakeholders. Dr. Churma-Mila has collaborated with others on laboratory bioassay to test for pyrethroid resistance in soybean aphids. Her research led to impactful programming in many counties, a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Economic Entomology, as well as a poster presentation at a professional conference in Canada. She's collaborated on research and programming on clobrit, which resulted in a survey for clobrit spread, the adoption of resistant canola varieties, a peer-reviewed publication, and an extension bulletin that's currently being published. Congratulations, Dr. Churma-Mila. The next award, the AGSCO Excellence in Extension Award, was established to encourage and reward significant accomplishments and excellence in extension educational programs. Individuals with 11 or more years of service to NDSU Extension are eligible for nomination. Nominees must hold an extension appointment and be in the 2000 job band. Our thanks to AGSCO for sponsoring this award. The following are the nominees for the AGSCO Excellence in Extension Award. I'm Megan Hoffman, 4-HU Development Specialist. Myself and the Center for 4-HU Development are honored to nominate Dean Ockry. Dean creates high quality transformational learning experiences for North Dakota youth and adults as he continually works to make the best better. Hi, I'm Andy Robinson, Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences. Our department nominated Dr. Hans Kandel. For 25 years of experience in extension and research and crop production, Hans has been able to relate to farmers, agents, researchers, and businesses to educate and improve lives. I'm William Denje, Chair of Agribusiness and Applied Economics Department. Our department nominates Dr. Fred Olsen. Dr. Olsen has developed a well-rounded education program in crop marketing and price risk management in North Dakota. Congratulations to all of the nominees. This year's recipient of the AGSCO Excellence in Extension Award is Dr. Hans Kandel. Dr. Kandel has built an exceptional program to address the educational needs of those who grow broadleaf crops in the state. His educational programs have been recognized for their excellence by his peers and his numerous extension publications are always up to date and in high demand by growers and field consultants. He's intricately involved in 10 different crop production guides and five crop variety trials. His body of work is partially responsible for the rapid expansion of soybean acreage and yields within North Dakota. In addition to his influential work in soybeans, his educational efforts in support of tile drainage have had a tremendous impact on the productivity and sustainability of many farms in eastern North Dakota. Congratulations, Dr. Kandel. For the first staff award, the Charles and Linda Moses award recognizes significant contributions to the mission of NSU Agricultural Affairs. The purpose is to encourage and reward excellence in job performance by professional staff. Selection is based on significant contributions by the nominee to the mission of the College of Agriculture Food Systems and Natural Resources, including agricultural instrumentation or NDSU Extension. The nominee must have at least three years of continuous service in a staff position. On and off camp, the staff members are eligible. Our thanks to Charles and Linda Moses for sponsoring this award. The following are the nominees for the Charles and Linda Moses staff award. I nominated Colin Allwater because he embodies what this award stands for. Colin truly leads by example, installing a work ethic and passion in graduate students and undergraduate students to investigate, solve problems, and find solutions. I'm Janet Kodol, professor and extension entomologist in plant pathology, and our department dominated Patrick Bozay. Pat's outstanding contributions to extension and field research projects and his insect identification skills are vital for our extension entomology program. I'm Becky Koch, agriculture communication director and our department nominated Ellen Crawford. As a writer and editor, Ellen is an integral part of ag communication and our efforts to produce high quality, accurate, useful information. I'm Tara Swanson, senior lecturer in the Department of Animal Sciences and our department nominated Lisa Doubles. Lisa goes above and beyond her job description to ensure everyone in the department has the tools they need to be successful. She is truly a team player. I am David Ryder, professor in the Department of Entomology in the School of Natural Resource Sciences. On behalf of my department and the school, I am pleased to have nominated Dr. Gerald Falske for this award. The breadth of Jerry's knowledge is only exceeded by the depth of his knowledge. Congratulations to all the nominees. This year's recipient of the Charles and Linda Moses staff award is Dr. Jerry Falske. Dr. Falske is an invaluable asset to North Dakota agriculture and NDSU. He has given many invited talks outreach presentations and workshops, and his author or co author on numerous publications. He provides photographs for presentations and publications and is the curator of the North Dakota State Insect Reference Collection. Dr. Falske is an expert on identification of insect specimens and has developed web pages that are useful tools for county extension agents, farmers and other professionals. He has worked with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, the North Dakota National Guard, other conservation groups to conduct surveys for invasive and or economically important insects. He assists NDSU Extension in Entomology with pest surveys with screen for insects that may pose a threat to the ag industry. And for nearly 30 years, he has taught undergraduate and graduate students about general entomology, insect taxonomy and morphology. Congratulations to Dr. Jerry Falske. This year's award, the Donald and Joe Anderson staff award recognizes significant contributions to the mission of NDSU agricultural affairs. The purpose is to encourage and reward excellence and job performance by office support staff. Selection is based on significant contributions by the nominee to the mission of the College of Agriculture food systems and natural resources. The North Dakota Agricultural Service Station or NDSU Extension. We have at least three years of continuous service in the staff position on and off campus staff members are eligible. Our thanks to Donald and Joe Anderson for sponsoring this award. The following are the nominees for the Donald and Joe Anderson staff award. I am Mohammed Khan, Professor and Extension Sugarbeet Specialist in the Department of Plant Pathology and our department nominated Darla Baku. Darla's contribution of effectively providing labor in a timely manner has contributed immensely to the success of our researchers in achieving their research objectives. I'm Blaine Schatz, the director of the Carrington Research Extension Center. Our center nominated Myrna Fried. Myrna passionately embraces the mission of NDSU's research and extension. She's very devoted to NDSU agriculture's efforts to address the needs and issues that challenge our state's constituents. I'm Kami Beeson, Information Processing Specialist in the Department of Plant Sciences. Our department nominated Karen Jevning. She is energetic and eager to help students, faculty and staff. She also has a strong work ethic and doesn't stop until the job is done and done right. Hello, I'm Sheryl Wachenheim, Professor in the Department of Agri-business and Applied Economics, and our department nominated Edie Nelson. Edie brings a new standard of cooperation and coordination within our department. I'm Mark Bauer, Interim Head of the Department of Animal Sciences. Our department nominated Jessica Rose. Jessica embodies the ideal for office support staff personnel. Congratulations to all the nominees. This year's recipient of the Donald and Jo Anderson staff award is Darla Beko. Darla consistently performs her administrative assistant office manager duties with professionalism and competence. She has an incredible work ethic, strives to learn and improve herself, and is an excellent ambassador for the department NDSU agriculture and NDSU as an institution. She's technically savvy and possesses extraordinary interpersonal skills. She's involved with and promotes professional development as part of an administrative professionals organization at the local, state and national levels. Congratulations Darla. Final award, the Rick and Jody Bergen staff award recognizes significant contributions to the mission of NDSU agricultural affairs. The purpose is to encourage and reward excellence in job performance by support staff in technical and paraprofessional, crafts and trades, or services. Selection is based on significant contributions by the nominee to the mission of the College of Agriculture food systems and natural resources. The North Dakota agricultural experiment station or NDSU extension. The nominee must have at least three years of continuous service and staff position on and off campus staff members are eligible. Our thanks to Rick and Jody Bergen for sponsoring this award. The following are the nominees for the Rick and Jody Bergen staff award. We nominated Chris Anderson. Chris's ability to work with customers and staff and his cheerful disposition make him a great ambassador for print and copy services. He pays attention to details and works efficiently and quickly to meet customers deadlines. But when a mistake happens, his upbeat friendly manner calms the rare upset customer. I'm Juan Osorno, associate professor in the Department of Plant Sciences. And our department nominated Cora Crane for her outstanding work managing extramural grants for plant sciences and plant pathology. On average, Cora helped us to obtain $7.5 million dollars each year in external funding. Good afternoon. This is Trent Gilbert with the Department of Animal Sciences. Today, our department would like to recognize Kirk Johnson for 16 years of dedicated service as our feed manufacturing technologists at the NCI mill. Kirk works reliably and independently every day to provide health nutrition to our NDSU lifestyle. I'm Susan Thinseth, FNEP FMP program manager and our department nominated Lou Moorehouse. Lou is an effective educator who pioneers implementation of new curricula and methods of reaching her audience, paving a road forward during changing times. Congratulations to all the nominees. This year's recipient of the Rick and Jody Bergen staff award is Cora Crane. Cora assists the departments of plant sciences and plant pathology with grant submission and manages awards, budgets, and compliance. In the past two years, she has helped her group of nearly 60 faculty in very diverse agricultural disciplines, as well as extension, submit over 400 grant proposals to over 50 different sponsors, each with their own set of guidelines. Her department boasts one of the highest funding success rates within NDSU with 63% of the overall grant funding for AES and extension. Her attention to detail and accuracy, sound judgment, organization, and knowledge is key to this funding success rate. Sponsored programs commence her work as outstanding with a very low error rate and acknowledges her diligent and competent work as instrumental in the procurement of more than $27 million in two years. She has helped sponsored programs with a new online grant system and has been training faculty. She is a very positive force for her department, for NDSU, and for the state of North Dakota. Congratulations Cora. As we come to the conclusion of our awards program I once again want to thank each of you for attending. Thank the nominators for all the work that they did putting together packets, and especially to congratulate our nominees for all of the recognition and hard work that you put into the jobs that you do here to make our mission successful. I also wanted once again thank President Mershawney for joining us and offering those words of encouragement for our faculty and staff as part of this program. We've also had one additional special guest join us JoLynn Shetter from the NDSU Research Foundation was able to join us as well so thank you JoLynn for being here with us today. I want to give a special thank you to the group that put this virtual program together. This could not have been done without the assistance of our dedicated staff from ag communications as well as our ag administrative assistants that work diligently on their script and making sure that this program could come off without a hitch. To the individuals nominated we thank you for all your hard work and dedication to our donors. Thank you so much for supporting this recognition of the work that our staff and faculty do. And to the recipients congratulations. We're very proud of the work that you do and the contribution that you have to supporting our mission across the state in North Dakota.