2024 Excellence in Leadership
Western Section Award
Mark McGuire
2023 Excellence in Multistate Research
W 4045-Agrochemical Impacts on Human and Environmental Health: Mechanisms and Mitigation
2023 New Teacher Award of Excellence
Dr. Jennifer Lachowiec
Montana State University
Department of Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology
2023 Teaching and Student Engagement Award
Wanda Crannell
M.Sci.Advisor, Instructor and Program Coordinator
2023 Regional Teaching Award of Excellence
Dr. Kathleen Boyce Rodgers
Washington State University
Department of Human Development
2022 Excellence in Multistate Research
Multi-state W-4003 Parental Practices supporting positive eating behaviors during independent eating occasions among early adolescent children. Research team member, Siew Sun Wong, Oregon state with Chris Davies.
2022 Teaching and Student Engagement Award
Dr. Heloisa Moreno Rutigliano
The Western Academic Program Section presented the Teaching and Student Engagement Award to Dr. Heloisa Moreno Rutigliano, Assistant Professor, Department of Animal, Diary and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University. Claus Tittiger, Associate Director of Academic Affairs, University of Nevada with Chris Davies.
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WAAESD

Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors

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2022 Excellence in Leadership – Western Region

Dr. Milan P. Shipka

Milan Shipka

The Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors presents the Award of Excellence in Leadership to Dr. Milan P. Shipka, University of Alaska

Dr. Milan Shipka has been a compassionate leader at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and has embodied the Land Grant Mission in research, teaching, and Extension. Shipka joined the faculty at UAF in July 1999 as the Extension Livestock Specialist and Animal Scientist, a career that brought recognition in all three mission areas of the Land Grant University. His research on reindeer and musk ox is internationally recognized with several unique discoveries in both species. His teaching activity included course development in animal science and sustainable agriculture. His Extension program reached stakeholders across the state of Alaska and assisted livestock producers on farms and ranches. Dr. Shipka was extraordinarily successful in grantsmanship with applications in research, teaching, and Extension.

In 2003 Shipka became department chair of High Latitude Agriculture. In 2007 he became program chair for Agriculture Extension concurrent to department chair responsibilities. In 2015 Shipka became Experiment Station director, taking on additional responsibilities in 2019 as Cooperative Extension Service director and director of the newly formed Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Extension at UAF. He continued to serve all three directorships until his retirement in June 2021.

Three people receving the 2022 ESS Leadership Award
Jodie Anderson accepting on behalf of Milan Shipka with Chris Pritsos (left, ESCOP Chair) and Chris Davies (WAAESD Chair, Right)

Dr. Shipka served leadership roles in Alaska and regionally, nationally, and internationally. Notable leadership roles include chair of the Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (WAAESD), chair of Western Extension Leadership Development (WELD), International President of Circumpolar Agriculture Association (CAA), and advisor for several multi-state research projects. He continues to serve on the Executive Committee of the USDA Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE) and is principal investigator of the USDA ARS Cooperative Agreement with UAF, Collaborative Food Production Systems Research.

Dr. Shipka earned a B.S. degree from the University of Minnesota, an M.S. from Iowa State University, and a Ph.D. from Utah State University.

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Phone: (307) 760-3319

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