College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

From working to alleviate poverty to making strides toward global food security, CANR researchers are showing that Spartans have what it takes to make a difference.

Four CANR faculty members and one alumnus were recognized on March 23 during the 2016 International Awards Ceremony for the outstanding contributions their work at MSU is making toward resolving some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The event is hosted annually by MSU’s International Studies Program (ISP). The following CANR individuals were recognized: 

Ralph H. Smuckler Award for Advancing International Studies and Programs at MSU 

Duncan H. Boughton, professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Eric W. Crawford, professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Crawford and Boughton of the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics in the CANR both earned the Ralph H. Smuckler Award for Advancing International Studies and Programs at MSU. This award recognizes distinguished achievement in the promotion of international activities, including research, teaching, and outreach.

Crawford serves as co-director of MSU’s Global Center for Food Systems Innovation, which focuses on improving food systems that are impacted by shrinking natural resources, climate change and an ever-rising demand for food. He also serves as co-director of MSU’s Food Security Group and is co-Principal Investigator of the Borlaug Higher Education for Agricultural Research and Development (BHEARD). Additionally, he has an appointment with AgBioResearch. Crawford has developed and implemented research and capacity-building programs in Africa that address economic development and poverty alleviation.

Boughton was honored for his work with MSU’s Food Security Group (FSG), which he co-directed when it was founded in 2005. FSG has teams of MSU faculty and graduate students working in 13 countries throughout Africa and Asia. In 2013, Boughton brought together MSU, the International Food Policy Institute and the University of Pretoria to launch the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy.

The award is named for Dr. Ralph H. Smuckler, former dean of International Studies and Programs and an acclaimed international scholar. Smuckler led MSU to worldwide recognition in the field of international education and public service.

John K. Hudzik Emerging Leader in Advancing International Studies and Programs Award   

Lenis Saweda Liverpool-Tasie, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Dr. Lenis Saweda Liverpool-Tasie earned the John K. Hudzik Emerging Leader in Advancing International Studies and Programs Award. The award recognizes faculty members who make significant impacts on the advancement of international scholarship, teaching, public service and outreach at MSU. Liverpool-Tasie came to MSU in 2012 as an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics. Her work focuses on alleviating poverty in Africa and boosting food security through improved inputs by African farmers. She led the design of he $12.5 million Nigerian Agricultural Policy Project, which strengthens links between Nigerian universities and MSU. She also has an appointment with AgBioResearch.

The award was established in 2006 to honor John K. Hudzik, former Dean of International Studies and Programs and Acting Provost of Michigan State and current Vice President for Global Engagement and Strategic Projects

Special Recognition Award for Promoting International Understanding

Anne Schneller, specialist in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Anne Schneller earned the Special Recognition Award for Promoting International Understanding. Schneller is co-director of the Borlaug Higher Education for Agricultural Research and Development (BHEARD) Program in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics. Under her leadership, BHEARD has expanded to include 44 institutions in 11 countries, and 170 BHEARD students at 22 institutions in the U.S. and seven institutions in Africa. Schneller has been at MSU for nearly 40 years and has worked in Africa for more than 14 years to help expand and deepen agricultural scholarship.

The Special Recognition Award is made to MSU faculty and staff who have contributed to internationalizing the campus, to MSU programs globally or to humanitarian causes internationally.  

MSU Award for Outstanding Service to Study Abroad

Luke Reese, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Luke Reese has been a partner of MSU's Study Abroad program for more than 17 years. He facilitates three study abroad programs: one in Australia, one in Germany, and a third in Costa Rica. He is an academic specialist in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering.

Joon S. Moon Distinguished International Alumni Award

Nango Dembélé, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, 1998-2013

Nango Dembélé earned the Joon S. Moon Distinguished International Alumni Award, which recognizes distinguished achievements of alumni who came to MSU as international students. Dr. Dembélé came to MSU from Mali, where he now serves as the Commissioner for Food Security. Dembélé spearheaded the effort to design and implement Mali’s first Agricultural Market Information System, which provides farmers with information on market conditions. As an MSU faculty member, Dembélé created a network of market information systems and helped to design and launch Mali’s first agribusiness undergraduate degree program.

The Joon S. Moon Distinguished International Alumni Award honors individuals for outstanding leadership and contributions in or to the international field or communities, organizations, companies, agencies, individuals, and governments internationally. The award is named in honor of Joon S. Moon, an MSU international alumnus and prominent Korean-American businessman.