Engineering professor wins new award
To kick off Research Week 2011, nominees from five USU colleges met with their supporters in the library on Monday to honor the first-ever recipient of the International Professor of the Year Award.
The inaugural winner of the International Professor of the Year Award was Wynn Walker of civil and environmental engineering. Associate vice president of international research DeeVon Bailey said he was pleased to have the opportunity to recognize some of the outstanding researchers from Utah State that benefit both USU and communities abroad.
“This is indeed a pleasure and anyone who knows Wynn, knows that Wynn is a lot of fun as well as being one of the most competent people you’ve ever met,” Bailey said. “His credentials illustrate that he is a premier international researcher and one of USU’s primary international ambassadors.”
Bailey said Walker has been active in international development work for more than 35 years. He has done research in more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Northern Africa in the field of irrigation engineering. Walker said he has been teaching at USU for 31 years and is currently a professor and associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Engineering.
“Besides Dr. Walker’s widely known publications, he was primary in a number of landmark programs originated at USU that have highly impacted international development,” Bailey said, quoting Dr. Richard Allen of the University of Idaho. “Wynn Walker has been the international face of Utah State University over the last 30 years.”
Walker has taught for 41 years total and mentored 17 Ph.D. students as their major professor, Bailey said. Now some of his mentees have achieved high-level governmental and academic status.
Bailey said he and his students have facilitated advancements in irrigation design and technology in several countries, thereby increasing the international visibility of USU. This is important, he said, because it has increased international opportunities for many other professors at the university.
“Frankly, I don’t have very many things on my resume that weren’t the result of a lot of other folks – students and colleagues,” Walker said. “I’m really uncomfortable with this. These other gentlemen you heard about seem to (have) made more contribution that me.”
Walker’s credit went to the other four nominees who were introduced at the ceremony, Karl White of the College of Education, Layne Coppock of the College of Natural Resources, Ron Munger of the College of Agriculture and Terry Glover of the Huntsman School of Business.
The international work each professor has done was highlighted and they were all given an opportunity to stand up and speak to the audience about their accolades.
“International research is an important component of USU’s mission,” said vice president for research Brent Miller. “This award is a validation of that long-standing legacy. As a land grant university, USU is charged with providing research solutions for the citizens of the state of Utah.”
Those who have lived in Utah for a while, Miller said, should be aware of how “possessive” the Utah Legislature is about the university being “Utah-centric.” A lot of the things researchers do on-campus, however, are applicable in countries around the world.
“Water management strategies that are used in the Sevier River Basin are being used in Senegal,” Miller said. “Education practices that are developed in West Jordan, here in Utah, could also be shared in Amman, Jordan. The things that our faculty do here should not be only provincial in the state of Utah, they should have a vision that includes the whole world.”
He said each year the award will be given to alternating areas, starting with international research, technical assistance and creative activities in the odd-numbered years and then in even-numbered years the award will be given in recognition of educational teaching innovations in international research.
A panel of eight peers, each representing one of the colleges at USU, was chosen to elect the winner of the award from the five professors who were nominated. Bailey said vice provost of international education Mary Hubbard will participate in the development of next year’s award reception.
“Dr. Walker’s work and legacy of research and education to improve the world’s water efficiency,” Bailey said, “continue to place USU at the forefront of international development issues. He’s a very deserving recipient of this year’s inaugural award.”
Research Week 2011 continues through April 1 with a faculty author exhibition in the Merrill-Cazier Library Wednesday afternoon, a graduate student research symposium on Thursday and a research workshop day on Friday. More information can be found online at researchweek.usu.edu.
– dan.whitney.smith@aggiemail.usu.edu