Muenchrath Award

The Deborah A. Muenchrath Award is presented annually to recognize a graduate of the M.S. in Agronomy Distance Education Program.  The award recognizes the most outstanding creative component completed that year. The award is available to a distance education student who has distinguished themselves academically and who has demonstrated outstanding creativity and completeness in the development and written presentation of his or her creative component.

The award is named in honor of Dr. Deborah Muenchrath, who contributed significantly to the development of the M.S. in Agronomy Distance Education Program. Dr. Muenchrath served as a course developer, faculty member, and dedicated student mentor. Deb is remembered for her incredible creativity, amazing intellect, abiding commitment to students, and indefatigable spirit.  Dr. Muenchrath was incredibly important to the entire Department of Agronomy, as highligted in her ISU Plaza of Heroines profile.

Eligibility

Students of the Agronomy M.S. Distance Program graduating in the summer, fall, or spring of the previous academic year.

Presentation of the Award

The award, which includes a monetary award and an honorary medal, will be presented to the recipient during the Program’s summer orientation/workshop (Agronomy 594). The recipient will be asked to present his or her creative component to the students attending the orientation and workshop. The first presentation of the award was made during the summer of 2007.

Previous Award Recipients

2019 Muenchrath Award winner Rebecca Vittetoe (center) with major advisor Dr. Alison Roberts (right) and Dr. Mary Wiedenhoeft (left). Vittetoe's creative component was titled "Comparing the effect of cropping sequence, planting date and seed treatment on seedling diseases of corn caused by Pythium species".
2018 Muenchrath Award winner Paul Parcher (right) with his major professor Dr. Alan Ciha. Parcher's creative component was titled "Evaluation of soybean grain yield as influenced by soybean seeding rate and fomesafen herbicide".
2017 Muenchrath Award winner Michelle Wenisch (left) with Muenchrath selection committee chair Mary Wiedenhoeft. Wenisch's creative component was titled "Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in agroecosystems: Prospects for reducing nutrient contamination of waterways".
2016 Award recipient Kimberly Thayer with Program Director Ken Moore. Thayer’s creative component was titled “A decision case study: Effects of conservation management practices on a northwest Iowa floodplain”.
2015 Award recipient Joshua Sevier with Muenchrath selection committee chair Mary Wiedenhoeft and program director Ken Moore. Sevier’s creative component was titled “The Impact of Row Width and Plant Population Density on Soybean Yield, Seed Mass and Seed Size Variability”.
2014 Award recipient Andrew Frey with Muenchrath selection committee chair Mary Wiedenhoeft. Frey’s creative component was titled “The Early Season Effect of Seed Treatment on Early Generation Maize Populations”.
2013 Award recipient Paul Ratliff with major professor Allan Ciha. Ratliff 's creative component was titled "Midwest Corn Herbicide Systems".
2012 Award recipient Dion Nagy with Department Chair Kendall Lamkey. Nagy's creative component was titled "Common Spring Canola Diseases".
2011 Award recipient Matt Wilson with Program Director Ken Moore. Wilson's creative component was titled "Agronomy Guy's Guide to Crop Diagnostics".
2010 Award recipient Alan Kenninger with Department Chair Kendall Lamkey. Kenninger's creative component was titled "RUSLE2 Learning Module".
2009 Award recipient Jason Steffl with Department Chair Kendall Lamkey. Steffl's creative component was titled "The Effect of Fungicide Treatment for Gray Leaf Spot on Silage-Specific Maize".
2008 Award recipient Doug Doty with Department Chair Kendall Lamkey. Doty's creative component was titled "The Effect of Land Application of Process Water from Acidulated Soybean Soapstock on Corn Production".
2007 Award recipient Matthew McKenzie with Department Chair Kendall Lamkey. McKenzie's creative component was titled "Water Stress Timing Effects In Hybrid Maize".