Celebrating the Visionaries: 2025 agInnovation Award Recipients Announced
- AgInnovation
- Sep 16
- 2 min read
Help us celebrate the winners of the 2025 Excellence in Multistate Research, Excellence in Leadership, and Excellence in Agricultural Innovation Research awards!
Today, agInnovation proudly unveils the winners of its 2025 Excellence Awards—honoring trailblazers in multistate research, leadership, and agricultural innovation across the Land-Grant University System.
Excellence in Multistate Research
The Northeast Region’s project, Genetic Bases for Resistance and Immunity to Avian Diseases (NE2334), has earned top national honors, recognized for its groundbreaking contributions to poultry health and disease resilience.
Congratulations also to these regional champions:
North Central Region: Ecology and Management of Arthropods in Corn (NC246)
Southern Region: NextGen Watershed Management Synergies (S1089)
Each project has made significant strides in collaborative research and real-world agricultural impact.
Excellence in Leadership
This year’s Leadership Awards spotlight outstanding leaders from across the regions:
Association of 1890 Research Directors: Vernon Jones, Langston University
Northeast Region: Rick Rhodes, agInnovation Northeast
North Central Region: Germán Bollero, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign
Southern Region: Hongwei Xin, University of Tennessee
Western Region: Scot Hulbert, Washington State University.
These individuals have demonstrated exceptional vision, dedication, and guidance within their institutions and throughout the broader Land-Grant university network.
Excellence in Agricultural Research Innovation
The cutting edge of innovation is on full display with this year’s winners:
North Central Region (National Winner): Kaiyu Guan — a distinguished professor at University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign and the Founding Director of the Agroecosystem Sustainability Center. Also holding titles such as the Levenick ACES Professor and Blue Waters Professor for Supercomputing, Guan leads groundbreaking research at the nexus of agriculture and technology.
Other regionally celebrated innovation leaders include:
Association of 1890 Research Directors: Ali Fares, Prairie View A&M University
Southern Region: Yang Zhao, University of Tennessee
Northeast Region: Heather Darby, University of Vermont Extension, University of Vermont
Why These Awards Matter
The agInnovation Excellence Awards recognize collaborative spirit, visionary leadership, and groundbreaking research across the Land-Grant university system. From next-generation watershed management to agricultural resilience and transformative innovations in livestock and agroecosystems, these awardees embody a powerful commitment to addressing global challenges—from climate change and environmental stewardship to equitable, sustainable food systems.
What’s Next?
Stay inspired as these initiatives continue to shape the future of agriculture. Visit the agInnovation site to explore impact statements, citations, and social media toolkits about these projects that are redefining innovation in action.
Congratulations to all 2025 award recipients! Your excellence fuels progress, inspires communities, and paves the way toward a resilient agricultural future.
See the full list of recipients here: https://www.aginnovation.info/2025-award-recipients