CALS Awards

Recipients of this award represent the vital contributions of more than 700 academic staff members to the mission of the college. These individuals have demonstrated excellence, often performing above and beyond expectations, taking initiative, being creative in problem solving and having a personal and positive impact on their work.

All full-time and part-time (50% or greater) academic staff are eligible for the awards, regardless of title, funding support, appointment contract or unit affiliation. In addition, the person being recommended must have been employed for more than 12 months and have a portion of their budget support administered by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Any or all of the following criteria will be considered in the review of nominations:

1. Excellence of Performance – going above and beyond expectations and doing exemplary work that is acknowledged and appreciated on or off campus.
2. Personal Interaction – being a community builder who plays a positive role in personal or organizational interactions on or off campus.
3. Initiative – taking on responsibility for work or leadership of a project, process or service. 
4. Creativity – using novel or innovative approaches for problem solving, research or organizational improvement.
5. Outstanding Achievement and Accomplishments – formal recognition of work, research or productivity on or off campus, including recognition of a body of work over a period of time. 
6. Positive Impact and Influence – doing work that has a ripple effect on processes or services or an area of research and brings visibility and positive attention to CALS.

Ellen Maurer originally established this as the Arthur J. Maurer Extra Mile Award in 1999 in memory of her husband, a CALS poultry and food scientist and assistant dean for International Agricultural Programs. It has since been renamed to also honor Ellen, who enjoyed a vibrant career as a teacher, writer, editor, photographer, and international science communicator in CALS. 

Please note: Nominations for this award must come from students. Any student with at least 90-degree credits at the beginning of the 2024 fall semester or a CALS student group may nominate an individual faculty or academic staff member from any CALS department or center. 

The Arthur J. and Ellen A. Maurer Extra Mile Award goes to a faculty or academic staff member who has demonstrated unusual concern for and provided exceptional service to undergraduate and/or graduate students. The service should exceed the level that might normally be expected from faculty or staff, and can include:

• Mentoring/advising of individual students or student groups
• Creating formal or informal experiential learning opportunities 
• Providing leadership to improve the educational experience
• Service on committees related to student life and academic achievement
• Other activities that enhance the educational experience of students

The Donald R. Peterson UW Memorial Fund was established in 1999 for the purpose of remembering and paying tribute to the outstanding service and dedication of Don Peterson during his long career with the UW, graduating with degrees in agronomy and soil science and serving as associate dean for extension and director of Wisconsin Farm Progress Days, Inc. Prior to 2022, the Donald R. Peterson Wisconsin Farm Technology Transfer Award was awarded through a separate process and is now part of CALS Awards.

Eligibility: Faculty or academic staff member with an active appointment in CALS who has designed creative ways to convey research-based information from CALS to its agricultural and natural resources constituents in topics such as: 

• Effectively using new management tools, processes, or concepts.
• Incorporating new technologies into a modern farm operation.
• Addressing issues that challenge contemporary agriculture and our natural resource base.

Louise Hemstead put her animal and food science expertise to good use building her successful 30-year career in the dairy industry. As the Chief Operating Officer, Louise oversaw all operational aspects of CROPP Cooperative/Organic Valley of LaFarge, WI. She also served as president of the Cooperative’s wholly owned subsidiary, Organic Logistics, the Cooperative’s distribution arm.

Louise began her career at CROPP in 1993 as dairy program manager. Her curiosity and innovative drive led her to develop a sustainable supply chain for the Cooperative that utilizes existing dairy infrastructure instead of the conventional thinking that would have led to building new infrastructure at great cost. Louise was a strong advocate for advancing women in leadership and was often the only woman at the table as a leader in the dairy industry and as a CEO. In honor of her commitment, the award is open to all, and nominations of women are encouraged.

A 1988 graduate from the Meat and Animal Science program, Louise also served on the college’s Board of Visitors until her death in 2018.

The recipient will be a faculty or staff member with an active appointment in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences who fulfills the criteria and honors the legacy of the award’s namesake, Louise Hemstead. 

The recipient will demonstrate a proven track record of accomplishment in one or more of the following areas:

• A passion for advancing agriculture through innovation and cooperation and leads by example to see programs and projects to completion.
• A record of stewardship for natural resources and communities.
• A history of getting things done through service leadership.
• The tenacity to overcome odds (for example, coming to agriculture through a non-traditional background or championing new solutions to long-standing problems).

This award recognizes an individual who has advanced the teaching goals of CALS for undergraduate or graduate students. The recipient will have a demonstrated record of curricular innovations and high impact on students and/or instructional practices of colleagues. The selection committee is looking for evidence that the nominee has wholeheartedly embraced his or her educational roles and responsibilities and used them as a platform for designing effective learning experiences.  

Nominees must be CALS faculty or academic staff who teach at least one course at UW–Madison.

In addition to the required essay, nominators must obtain a document from the person they are nominating that outlines the person’s teaching philosophy and includes their most recent courses taught. This document should be no more than two pages and should be uploaded in the Qualtrics nomination form. Letters of support and a CV are optional.

The purpose of this award is to recognize outstanding University Staff performance or service to the CALS. Three awards for CALS University Staff permanent employees are available. 

All full-time and part-time (50% or greater) university staff are eligible for the awards, regardless of title, funding support, appointment contract or unit affiliation. In addition, the person being recommended must have been employed for more than 12 months and have a portion of their budget support administered by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. 

Nominee must meet at least two of the following criteria:

1. Employee’s work performance and work products are outstanding and/or have made a significant impact in terms of the overall value and benefits to specific program goals or to the University.
2. Employee continually seeks to improve the work products or refine methods/procedures that significantly enhance the ability of the work unit to meet the needs of the organization.
3. Employee takes initiative to creatively resolve complex and/or sensitive problems affecting the organization.
4. Employee consistently demonstrates outstanding leadership skills and initiatives. The employee is a recognized expert and is regularly sought out for advice and consultation.
5. Employee successfully completed a special one-time project of major significance and impact which was an unusual/exceptional circumstance in the department/work unit.
6. Employee successfully completed an acting assignment which was significantly more complex, included significantly expanded responsibilities, and was of greater scope than the employee’s permanent position.

This award recognizes a CALS faculty or academic staff member who has demonstrated a deep concern for the welfare of CALS undergraduates and has invested exceptional time and effort in providing them (individuals, teams, or clubs) with academic or personal guidance. The members of the Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association have been honoring outstanding advisors with this award since 1979.

The selection committee will consider

1. Commitment to advising: Time dedicated to individual advising; contributions to student groups, clubs, and professional organizations. 
2. Quality of Advising: Accessibility and willingness to help, knowledge of degree requirements, knowledge of department, college, and/or campus resources, involvement with internship and placement. 
3. Other contributions to undergraduate needs and interests.