Students, community benefit from three agriculture professors

It's difficult to define whether being an outstanding teacher led to their community service or whether community service made them better faculty members. Either way, they are three of five recipients for the 2006 Charles B. Murphy award presented at Purdue's Honors Convocation on April 9.

The award, presented annually to Purdue's top teachers since 1967, is the university's highest undergraduate teaching honor. It recognizes exemplary teaching in all phases of undergraduate instruction.

"Teaching is a very high priority in the College of Agriculture and these professors have consistently provided energetic leadership to our students through a variety of learning methods," said Dale Whittaker, associate dean and director of academic programs for the College of Agriculture.

Hayes earned his master's degree in 1998 and doctorate in 2002, both in food chemistry at Purdue, and has remained there as a faculty member. Working with the Indiana Dairy Board, his introduction to food processing class optimized the ice cream formula for the Indiana State Fair dairy bar last year.

Hayes is not only involved at the state level, but also at the international level. He established a research collaboration with University College of Cork, Ireland and led a student tour in Ireland focusing on agriculture and dairy food companies. In the classroom, the food science professor takes a cooperative discovery-learning approach.

"I always try to show how information from the classroom is relevant to their life and careers through group discussions, projects, labs and demonstrations," Hayes said. Talk to any student and there is no doubt, Hayes brings motivation and enthusiasm to the classroom and believes strongly in assessment. "I continually strive for improvement in the classroom and assessment allows me to see what areas can be improved upon," said Hayes.

Tao, a professor in agricultural and biological engineering, joined the Purdue Faculty in the fall of 1988. He is the Indiana Soybean Board Professor in Soybean Utilization and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses.

Tao places a high value on entrepreneurial experiences for students by hosting an annual program for undergraduate teams to develop new products from soybean proteins and oils, which has resulted in three commercialized products and more than $60,000 in cash awards.

Not only do students at Purdue's campus benefit from Tao, but students state-wide in grades K-12 benefit also due to his hands-on science kits. The kits highlight the use of safe, natural materials for teaching chemistry, physics and biology and are used in more than 95 percent of all elementary schools in Indiana.

Tao's teaching philosophy is simple.

"I try to teach like I would want somebody to teach my kids," he said. "I teach students the why and not just the how and go beyond the stuff in the books."

Wilson, director for the Center for Community and Environmental Design, has been a Purdue faculty member since 1999. A strong advocate of service learning, Wilson teaches a course that takes students outside the classroom and into industries.

She uses unique problem settings to challenge the students' knowledge, critical thinking abilities, creativity, attitudes and values. Wilson's classes have designed Chicago's Meig's Airport into a visionary 21st Century Park, helped development along the Wabash River in the heart of Lafayette/West Lafayette and reused plans for Greater Lafayette Health Services two urban campuses. Wilson's 25 years of professional experience as a landscape architect brings expertise to the classroom.

"Students want to see the connection between theory and practice, and involvement with these projects provides that opportunity," said Wilson. Not only do Purdue students reap the rewards of Wilson's experience, but so does the local community. She serves non-profit agencies educating the Greater Lafayette area about the landscape architecture profession, influences local planning and design efforts, and increases Purdue's local visibility.

Writer: Julie Douglas, (765) 496-1050, douglajk@purdue.edu

Sources: Kirby Hayes, (765) 496-2864, hayes@purdue.edu

Bernard Tao, (765) 494-1183, tao@purdue.edu

Kim Wilson, (765) 494-1308, kwilson@purdue.edu

Dale Whittaker, (765) 494-8472, dwhittak@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page

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