Presidential Rank Award Winners
Dr. Steven Kappes
ARS Associate Administrator for National Programs Dr. Steven Kappes was recognized as a 2021 Presidential Rank Award Winner: Distinguished Executive Winner. This award recognizes a select group of career members of the Senior Executive Service for exceptional performance over an extended period of time.
Dr. Moon Kim
Dr. Moon Kim, research leader with ARS’s Environmental Microbial & Food Safety Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, was recognized as a 2021 Presidential Rank Award Winner: Meritorious Senior Professional Winner. This award recognizes senior career employees with a sustained record of exceptional professional, technical, and/or scientific achievement recognized on a national or international level.
Dr. Autar Mattoo
Dr. Autar Mattoo, plant physiologist with ARS’s Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, was recognized as a 2021 Presidential Rank Award Winner: Meritorious Senior Professional Winner. This award recognizes senior career employees with a sustained record of exceptional professional, technical, and/or scientific achievement recognized on a national or international level.
2021 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal
Dr. William Hart-Cooper
Dr. William Hart-Cooper, research chemist with ARS’s Bioproducts Research Unit in Albany, CA, was a finalist for the Partnership for Public Service’s 2021 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal. Dr. Hart-Cooper was nominated for this Science and Environment Medal for his pioneering work developing a new class of disinfectants and packaging that protect human health and reduce environmental pollution. Learn more.
Dr. Sherry Hunt
Dr. Sherry Hunt, supervisory civil engineer and acting location coordinator at ARS’s Hydraulic Engineering Research Unit in Stillwater, OK, was a finalist for the Partnership for Public Service’s 2021 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal. Dr. Hunt was nominated for this Science and Environment Medal for pioneering critically-needed design techniques to rehabilitate and strengthen thousands of aging dams across the United States, limiting potential failures that could lead to the loss of life and property. Learn more.
Arthur S. Flemming Award
Dr. Steven Mirsky
Dr. Steven Mirsky, research ecologist with ARS’s Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, received the 2020 Arthur S. Flemming award for outstanding achievements in applied science and engineering. The Award was established in 1948 to reflect Dr. Arthur S. Flemming’s desire to recognize early to mid-career public servants who go beyond what is expected and whose federal government achievements have a broad, positive impact on society. Among his accomplishments, Dr. Mirsky is a leading researcher on precision and sustainable field crop production system techniques and has also developed technology transfer pathways to operationalize these approaches into practice for farmers. Learn more.
American Association of Avian Pathologists
Dr. Hyun Lillehoj
Dr. Hyun Lillehoj, research molecular biologist with ARS’s Animal Biosciences & Biotechnology Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, was inducted into the Hall of Honor for the American Association of Avian Pathologists in recognition of distinguished contribution to poultry health.
2021 Crop Science Society of America Presidential Award
USDA Agricultural Research Service
Dr. Marilyn Warburton, research geneticist with ARS’s Corn Host Plant Resistance Research Unit at Mississippi State, accepted the 2021 Crop Science Society of America Presidential Award on behalf of ARS. ARS was recognized for its many years of work and contributions to the Crop Science Society of America and agriculture.