TIFTON—Dr. Benjamin Gahagen has been selected for the W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Award for Excellence in Student Engagement at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
An Associate Professor of biology from the Department of Science and Mathematics in the School of Arts and Sciences, Gahagen earned his Ph.D. in Environmental and Plant Biology from Ohio University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from James Madison University.
“It means so much to be recognized for my involvement with mentoring undergraduate researchers,” Gahagen said. “This is not something I accomplished alone. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for those dedicated students who also put in the long hours with me to hone skills and further develop research projects.
“I also want to thank ABAC for providing me the opportunity to pursue research interests, to teach botanically related courses, and allowing me to fulfill my dream of inspiring students.”
The award celebrates and rewards faculty members who excel in mentoring students through interdisciplinary collaborations, innovative projects, internship opportunities, undergraduate research, or other academic enrichment experiences that engage students actively in the learning process.
A letter of support from a former student said that Gahagen’s “inspiration is the reason I continued to further my education and allowed me to become the confident biologist I am today. This instructor showed me an incredible world of plants and botanical-based occupations. His love and excitement for plants showed in every lecture.”
Another endorsement that came from within his department said, “He is an exemplar of engagement with our students. He is actively engaged with mentored undergraduate research, sharing his expertise in botany, and teaching our students to be researchers. He participates in the STEM IV USG grant to train and mentor students in that capacity. His students have gone on to graduate programs in botany and ecology and have participated in ABAC’s STEPS symposium, Georgia Undergraduate Research Council symposium, and Association of Southeastern Biologists conference.”
Gahagen was lauded by another faculty member for going above and beyond in his dedication to helping students.
“I have personally witnessed his interactions with students as he helps them prepare scientific abstracts for submission to conferences, helps with poster development, and with practicing presentations,” the faculty member said. “If anyone embodies the essence of outside engagement, he certainly does. His commitment to students does not end in the classroom – it continues into those long afternoon hours when most folks have gone home.”
Some of his students’ projects include testing fire tolerance and germination rates of a southern pine root parasitic plant, extracting and identifying compounds and testing antibacterial properties of an endangered plant, the effects of light on the growth of certain parasitic plants, and cross-pollinating two species and comparing the germination rates between the hybrid and the original species.
In addition to mentoring students on unique projects, Gahagen also serves as the faculty mentor for the Tri-Beta National Honor Society for Biology Club and is also the co-advisor for Advancing Toward Occupations in Medicine (ATOM) Club.
To be eligible for consideration for this award, a faculty member must be in a full-time tenured or in a tenure-track position with two or more years of continuous service to the college.
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