This spring, North Carolina State University proudly recognized faculty, staff and students from the College of Natural Resources for their outstanding achievements in global engagement, sustainability and teaching.

Notable recipients include Fikret Isik for global service, Justin Whitehill and Kim Bush for extension and engagement, Lucian Lucia for sustainability leadership and Steph Jeffries, Megan Lupek and Sunkyu Park for teaching excellence.

“These honors are a testament to the dedication, innovation and hard work that define our college,” said Myron Floyd, dean of the College of Natural Resources.

Explore the lists below to see how faculty, staff and students from the College of Natural Resources are driving impactful work in research, teaching and engagement and making a difference across North Carolina and beyond.

• Outstanding Research Awards
• Global Engagement Awards
• Outstanding Extension and Engagement Awards
• Sustainability Awards
• University Teaching Awards
• Teaching Assistant Awards
• University Faculty Scholars

Outstanding Research Awards

NC State’s Office of Research and Innovation annually recognizes leading scholars and faculty mentors through the Alumni Association Outstanding Research Award, which includes induction into the Research Leadership Academy.

• Caren Cooper, a professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, was one of four NC State faculty to be honored with a 2026 Alumni Association Outstanding Research Award for her excellence in research and contributions to advancing the university’s research enterprise. Cooper’s research applies large-scale spatial analysis to the ecology, evolution and conservation of birds while developing public science programs that engage volunteers in generating data on interactions between social and ecological systems and on environmental patterns in urban and natural settings. During her nearly 10 years at NC State, Cooper has secured more than $8 million in external funding and authored or co-authored 100 peer-reviewed papers in top scientific publications such as the journal Nature and and the journal Science. In addition to her own research, Cooper has made a significant impact on the research environment and faculty mentoring at NC State through her creation and leadership of the Citizen Science Campus, an initiative that provides technical and financial support to help faculty integrate participatory science into their curricula and research.

Global Engagement Awards

NC State’s Office of Global Engagement recognized faculty and staff who are advancing international education, research and service during its 2026 Global Engagement Honors and Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, April 15.

• Fikret Isik, a professor and the co-director of the Cooperative Tree Improvement Program in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, received the Jackson Rigney International Service Award. The award recognizes faculty or staff members who have demonstrated distinguished international service throughout their careers, with particular recognition for those whose international research collaborations and scholarly activities have significantly contributed to global understanding and NC State’s international reputation. Isik received the award in honor of his distinguished career in global research and partnerships addressing forest health, sustainability and natural resource challenges worldwide. He leads global collaborations across the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe, linking forest research with capacity-building while engaging students and early-career scholars in international exchange.

Outstanding Extension and Engagement Awards 

NC State’s Office of Outreach and Engagement honored faculty, staff and partners who embody the university’s commitment to community-engaged scholarship at the 2026 Engaged University Awards Ceremony and Luncheon on Tuesday, March 24.

• Kim Bush, a teaching professor and associate head of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, was recognized with a 2026 Outstanding Extension and Engagement Award for her sustained efforts to connect students, alumni and industry professionals through experiential learning and community-based sport programming. Bush teaches courses in sport management that address topics including social issues in sport, sport administration, sport finance and economics and the psychological and cultural dimensions of sport. She also organizes the Women in Sport Spring Series, which brings together students and professionals to explore issues and career pathways in women’s athletics.
• Justin Whitehill, an assistant professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, also received a 2026 Outstanding Extension and Engagement Award for his work as director of the Christmas Tree Genetics Program, where he leads research and extension efforts focused on improving the quality, resilience and productivity of Fraser fir and other Christmas tree species for North Carolina growers and the broader industry. His work includes leading a large, multi-institution project titled “A Gift Seed,” which uses genetic research and long-term field trials to accelerate the development of Fraser firs better adapted to changing climate conditions, pests and disease pressures. The project is funded through a nearly $7.5 million, four-year grant awarded by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 

Sustainability Awards

NC State’s Sustainability Office honored individuals and programs making meaningful contributions to climate and sustainability efforts at the 2026 NC State Celebration of Sustainability on Tuesday, April 21.

• The Coastal Community Resilience Immersive Training Program (C-CRIT), a partnership between the Climate and Sustainability Academy, Conservation Corps North Carolina and the Center for Geospatial Analytics, received the Climate Award for its hands-on approach to preparing students to support coastal communities through resilience planning and geospatial analysis. The program is co-led by Georgina Sanchez, associate director of research engagement with the Center for Geospatial Analytics, who serves as the C-CRIT data analytics program mentor. The C-CRIT leadership team also includes Erin Seekamp, the Goodnight Distinguished Professor of Coastal Resilience and Sustainability in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, who serves as executive director of the Climate and Sustainability Academy.
• The College of Natural Resources Forest Assets Team (Sam Cook, Laxmi Parajuli, John Saunders and Garrett Sumner) was recognized with the Organization Award for managing approximately 94,000 acres of university forestlands across North Carolina, including sites such as the Umstead Research Forest in Granville County, the Hofmann Forest in Onslow County, the Hill Forest in Durham County and the Bent Creek Experimental Forest in Buncombe County. The team manages these lands as a living laboratory that supports teaching, research and outreach while balancing ecological stewardship with financial sustainability. Their work maintains healthy, productive forests and prepares students for careers in natural resource management, with impacts that extend across regional ecosystems.
• Lucian Lucia, a professor in the Department of Forest Biomaterials, was named recipient of the Faculty Award for his internationally recognized work in green chemistry and renewable biomaterials. His research focuses on using cellulose and other renewable biomass to design sustainable, functional materials such as coatings, gels, composites and biomedical scaffolds through controlled chemical modification and biomimetic assembly. Lucia co-founded and currently co-edits an open-access international research journal, BioResources, which is dedicated to original research articles, reviews and editorials on the fundamental science and engineering and advanced applications of lignocellulosic materials. He also teaches a number of courses, including PSE 335: Principles of Green Chemistry and PSE 371: Pulping Process Analysis. He challenges students to apply green chemistry principles — such as reducing waste, using renewable raw materials and designing safer, more efficient chemical processes — in real-world applications and inspires innovation through mentorship that reflects his belief that everyone has the power to change the world.

University Teaching Awards

NC State’s Office for Faculty Excellence, under the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, celebrated faculty for exceptional teaching and contributions to student learning at the University Teaching Awards Luncheon and Ceremony on Tuesday, April 21.

• Steph Jeffries, a teaching professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, was recognized as the College of Natural Resources’ nominee for the prestigious Board of Governors Award for Teaching Excellence. Jeffries has taught thousands of NC State students through a number of courses, including ES 100: Introduction to Environmental Sciences and FOR 339/501: Dendrology. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes engaging students in challenging, service-oriented, hands-on learning that extends beyond the classroom. She achieves these goals through campus and professional leadership, innovative course design, personal mentoring and a commitment to inclusive, student-centered learning across her many courses. She was previously awarded the 2024 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
• Megan Lupek, an associate teaching professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, was one of 16 faculty members from across the university who received NC State’s 2025–26 Outstanding Teacher Award. The award recognizes outstanding teaching across all levels, incorporating excellence in direct and indirect contributions to student learning through teaching, research, creative activities, advising, academic program development, and educational leadership. Lupek, who serves as co-director of the environmental sciences program, teaches courses that examine human–environment interactions while guiding students through hands-on, team-based projects that apply analytical problem-solving and build professional skills such as communication and decision-making. 
• Sunkyu Park, the Jordan Family Distinguished Professor and a University Faculty Scholar in the Department of Forest Biomaterials, was one of four faculty members from across the university to be named a recipient of the Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professorship Award. The award is one of the most prestigious awards to recognize graduate-level teaching given on campus. Park currently teaches four courses: PSE 417: Pulp and Paper Process Simulation, PSE 425: Bioenergy and Biomaterials Engineering, FB 595: Bioenergy Science and Engineering and FB 760: Engineering Unit Operations of Biomass Conversion. He has mentored and advised more than 50 undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and visiting scientists. Park was previously awarded the Outstanding Teacher Award in 2018.

Teaching Assistant Awards

NC State’s Graduate Student Association honored graduate students who worked with faculty to improve student learning through lectures and office hours at its 2026 Teaching Assistant Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 22.

• Sweta Dixit, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, was recognized with a 2026 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for her contributions as a co-instructor and teaching assistant for PRT 380: Evidence-Based Decision Making in Recreation, Sport, Tourism and Event Management and PRT 203: Humans and the Environment, working with Aaron Hipp, Bethany Cutts and Rich von Frustenberg. In her role, Dixit revised syllabi with faculty before the semester, planned in-class discussions and activities, set up Moodle, supported in-class activities, managed attendance, graded assignments and held office hours. She was motivated to teach to explore whether she would enjoy teaching undergraduates as she considers a future in academia. Dixit’s dissertation examines the intersection of conservation policy, strategic communication and human tolerance of endangered species such as red wolves and Florida panthers, focusing on how these factors can bridge gaps between conservation goals and local realities while supporting coexistence between people, wildlife and protected areas.

University Faculty Scholars

NC State’s Office for Faculty Excellence, under the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, recognizes faculty for exceptional scholarly achievement, teaching excellence, and impactful contributions to the university community through the University Faculty Scholars Program. This year’s awardees will be recognized during the 2026 Celebration of Faculty Excellence on Tuesday, May 5.

• Whitney Knollenberg, an associate professor and the Extension leader in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, was named to the 2025–26 class of University Faculty Scholars. Knollenberg researches sustainable community-based tourism with a focus on leadership policy and stakeholder engagement and leads outreach in the Outer Banks aimed at supporting tourism development and addressing regional economic and housing challenges. She also teaches courses in tourism and event management and evidence-based decision making in recreation, sport tourism and event management.
• Rajan Parajuli, an associate professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, was also named to the 2025–26 class of University Faculty Scholars. Parajuli researches forest product markets, trade and policy, with additional focus on rural economic development, forest finance, carbon and bioenergy markets and natural resource governance. He leads federally funded work examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on forest-based rural economies in the southern United States, partnering with stakeholders to inform recovery strategies and sustainable forest management. He also teaches courses in world forestry and forest economics.