Mohamed Faisal professor of pathobiology and fisheries and wildlife,
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was recognized for his long and distinguished career as a remarkable “scientist without borders” and world citizen who has collaborated with more than 45 universities worldwide. He has improved the health and environmental sciences knowledge of colleagues through more than 165 scientific papers. His efforts have benefited local communities, education institutions, the United Nations, the Living Oceans Foundation, research collaborators, students, and Michigan State. He secured funds from nongovernmental organizations to establish a regional aquatic animal disease laboratory to serve West Africa. |
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Russell Freed, an international agronomist in the Department of Crop
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and Soil Sciences, exemplifies the model World Grant researcher with local and global vision and action. His accomplishments simultaneously have a Michigan and international focus. His passion for helping the world’s poor has led him to work with people from all walks of life in more than 100 countries. He developed and has provided a microcomputer agricultural research management package and support for more than 20 years to researchers in Michigan and in more than 120 countries. Freed’s administrative contributions with an international focus, have been key to MSU’s external funding of international activities. |
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Sieglinde Snapp, associate professor in the Department of Crop and Soil
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Sciences and the Kellogg Biological Station, was recognized with the John K. Hudzik Emerging Leader in Advancing International Studies and Programs Award for excelling in international research and scholarship while collaborating with U.S. and international scientists from many disciplines and countries.
At the same time, she has assumed responsibility for research and outreach in Michigan. Snapp is currently revising the International Agricultural Systems course and has a strong record of mentoring African graduate students. The focus of her efforts to improve the livelihoods of the poor is even more exemplary. |
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Margaret Holtschlag received the Glen L. Taggart Award for Community
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Contribution to International Understanding. Her contributions as co-director of sessions for LATTICE Inc., an award winning learning community and international network that cultivates and supports a global perspective in K-12 classrooms, are outstanding. LATTICE connects more than 600 members from 70 countries and 17 mid-Michigan school districts with MSU. |
Suzanne “Sue” Nichols, senior communications manager in University
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Relations, was honored with a Special Recognition Award for Promoting International Understanding.
As an “embedded communicator,” Nichols excells in reporting and publicizing MSU’s international research, outreach and education around the world. She is the person behind the extensive media coverage of MSU’s efforts related to producing and marketing Rwandan coffee, panda research in China, Brazilian working horses, Nicaraguan farmers gaining access to supermarkets and the environmental impacts of divorce.
Her stories have generated huge global “media storms” resulting in coverage in Time magazine, USA Today and the Chronicle of Higher Education and other national publications.
In December 2007, Nichols’ efforts resulted in MSU’s international research dominating the National Science Foundation news, filling all three slots on its home page banner at once – a first for any university.
She also organized a highly rated symposium “Embedded Communicators: Bringing Them Along for the Science Ride” for the 2007 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest scientific organization.
Nichols’ articles appear regularly in MSU News Bulletin and online at: newsroom.msu.edu. |
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Larry Besaw, professor of entomology in the College of Natural Science, has
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earned the title of “Mr. Study Abroad.” In 1977 Besaw developed and instructed the Natural Science in the Canadian Rockies Program, the first study abroad offered by the CNS. The program celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. The success of the program stimulated Besaw to develop programs in the Virgin Islands, the Hawaii, Costa Rica and Switzerland. The pedagogical effectiveness of experiential learning that has been incorporated into all of his “Wilderness Environmental Field Study Programs” has provided learning experiences for nearly 2000 students.
Officially, April Moore is classified as an Office Assistant III in the Office of
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the Registrar. Unofficially, her title could be “problem solver extraordinaire.” Moore’s most critical responsibility is the service she provides to more than 50 MSU co-sponsored study abroad programs. she supports these programs with a thorough understanding of administrative and academic policies and procedures. Moore developed and maintains the co-sponsored programs Web site. She is recognized for her innovative and creative ideas to resolve complex issues. |
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Satinder Bajaj, India, and Hiroko Sho, Okinawa, both graduates of the College of Home Economics, were honored with the Joon S. Moon Distinguished International Alumni Award.
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Bajaj was recognized for extensive service in academic leadership at the university and national levels in India. She serves on the Indian National Academy of Agricultural Sciences board, has facilitated MSU research and study abroad efforts in India, is a consultant to the Rai Foundation and is vice chancellor of a new campus in Sikkim, India.
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Sho is the first woman to serve as vice governor of Okinawa, commissioner of public service and director of the University of the Air in Okinawa. Sho has compiled an exceptional record of service on prefectural, national and international boards. Prior honors include an honorary doctorate from the University of Maryland and the Japanese Emperor’s Award. |
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Bilal Butt, the Gill-Chin Lim Award for Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation in
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Global Studies recipient, received his doctorate in
geography in 2007 under the guidance of Antoinette WinklerPrins. His dissertation, “Grazing on the Edge: Cattle Mobility, Ecology and Maasai Herding in Southern Kenya,” is concerned with the social, ecological, political and cultural dimensions of pastoral herding around the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Butt made important methodological contributions to the study of pastoralists, livestock, and the environment including global positioning systems, satellite remote sensing, and field based social-scientific appraisals. Butt currently is a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. |
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Pictured (from left) are: Peter Briggs (director, Office for International Students and Scholars), Ann McCall, Kaustav Mukherjee, Peg Higbee (widow of Homer Higbee), Alex Hill, Abhinav Katiyar and Don Lyons. |
Homer Higbee International Education Award for a Member
of the Community Volunteers for International Programs
Ann McCall has worked behind the scenes at the Community Volunteers for International Programs for 18 years. She has served as secretary and treasurer, worked in the office and served on committees. She has helped welcome students and their families to campus and aid in their adjustment to their “home away from home” at MSU.
Homer Higbee International Education Awards
The Homer Higbee International Education Award was presented to four students who have made significant contributions to the enhancement of international communication, and cooperation at MSU through service activities. Students received a certificate and check.
Alex Hill is a junior in James Madison College, majoring in international relations and global area studies. Hill founded and is executive director of a nonprofit organization, SCOUT BANANA, that has 18 chapters across the United States and Canada and supports health-related projects in Africa. He raised more than $150,000 for a variety of international development projects, coordinated the crisis committee of the African Union for the Model United Nations Conference, spoke on student activism and leadership at the 2006 International AIDS Conference in Toronto and volunteers at the Refugee Development Center in Lansing.
Abhinav Katiyar is an undergraduate student from India, majoring in finance. He has shared his culture with numerous local classes and has volunteered at new student orientation programs. Katiyar has held leadership roles in the Coalition of Indian Undergraduate Students and the Asian Pacific American Student Organization and is a resident assistant in Rather Hall. He also is the official choreographer for the Coalition of Undergraduate Students and has choreographed Indian cultural dances for several campus events.
Don Lyons is a graduate student in social work and a member of the Keech Lake Tribe of Minnesota. Building on a study abroad experience in Australia and his tribal heritage, he brings an activist’s fresh thinking to the Great Lakes region. He has used his Australian connections to play a critical role organizing an international conference on indigenous responses to the global environmental crisis with Philip Bellfy of the American Indian Studies Program. Through Lyons’ continuing efforts, many institutions and tribal communities will have an opportunity to interact with indigenous people from both Australia and New Zealand.
Kaustav Mukherjee, a doctoral student in English, is the president of the International Students Association. He is a gifted communicator and organizer whose efforts have led to a broader cross-campus role in representing the voice of international students. Mukherjee has been a driving force behind ISA’s outreach to nationality clubs on campus. He held a leadership role in new student orientation and has served as a voice for international students on a variety of cross-cultural training programs. Mukherjee has played a key role in bridging cultures and promoting international understanding on campus. He recently received a 2008 MSU Excellence in Diversity Award.
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