UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Several faculty members and graduate students associated with Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recently received awards at the 70th annual North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Conference (NACTA) in Wooster, Ohio.
“I’m extremely proud of our Penn State presence at the 2024 NACTA Conference,” said Tracy Hoover, associate dean for undergraduate education. “Our faculty and students were recognized for excellence in teaching and learning, and several served in key NACTA leadership roles. We’re already looking forward to next year’s conference in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.”
Two graduate students received the NACTA Graduate Student Teaching Award, which recognizes graduate students who excel as teachers in the agricultural disciplines. To qualify for the award, a graduate student must have been teaching for at least one year.
Madisen Plunkert completed her undergraduate degree in recreation, park and tourism management at Penn State in 2018. She then worked as a seasonal environmental educator and program assistant for Penn State’s Outdoor School before beginning her master’s degree in education, development and community engagement.
As a teaching assistant, Plunkert has been the lead instructor for undergraduate courses in agricultural and extension education. Her thesis research centers on implementing agricultural literacy in public schools.
Morgan Vincent is a chemistry doctoral candidate. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a bachelor of arts in mathematics from Seton Hill University. Vincent has served as a teaching assistant for four courses in chemistry and pedagogy and five food science short courses. Her doctoral thesis includes two projects: the effect of copper complexation on polyfunctional thiol stability in beer and student understanding of electron configurations.
Michael Mashtare, assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering, received a NACTA Teaching Scholar Award. Individuals receiving this award demonstrate their commitment to NACTA and a teaching influence beyond their own campus.
Mashtare teaches courses in soil and water management, environmental analysis, land disposal of waste, research methods, technical communications, and an inter-institutional capstone course focused on community engagement in environmental science. While his lab research is focused on the fate and transport of emerging contaminants, his other research passion is teaching and learning.
Noel Habashy, associate teaching professor in Ag Sciences Global and coordinator of the international agriculture minor, received a NACTA Early Career Global Engagement Award. This award recognizes meritorious activity in global engagement through teaching, educational research and/or administration.
Habashy said he is dedicated to promoting global learning and the holistic development of students and communities. He has lived in five countries and worked in or visited more than 40 countries.