Book of Great Teachers celebrates induction of new faculty

The 2023 Book of Great Teachers induction ceremony, held on Sept. 26, honored 38 outstanding teaching faculty--11 of those faculty members are from the College of Agriculture. The induction ceremony for the Book of Great Teachers occurs every five years after faculty, who have at least 15 years of service to the university, are nominated by students, alumni and colleagues. Faculty members are automatically included in the book if they have been awarded the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award and have at least 10 years of service at Purdue.

The Book of Great Teachers is a permanent bronze-and-walnut wall display located in the west foyer of the Purdue Memorial Union. The display was dedicated on April 23, 1999. Including the most recently inducted professors, the book contains 467 names, now including 83 College of Agriculture faculty.

Bernie Engel, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, attended the ceremony to honor recipients’ accomplishments. “These are colleagues who I have known and worked with during my years on our college’s faculty. They view teaching undergraduates to be at the heart of their mission as faculty members. They are also widely recognized for their research, Extension outreach and many other professional accomplishments. While it was no surprise to me, I was proud to see that almost a third of those honored at this ceremony are College of Agriculture faculty members.”

The 11 inductees from the College of Agriculture are:

  • Cale Bigelow, professor of horticulture
  • Laura Bowling, director and coordinator of Natural Resources and Environment Science and professor of agronomy, received the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award during the 2022-23 academic year.
  • Dennis Buckmaster, professor of agricultural and biological engineering and dean’s fellow for digital agriculture
  • Christian Butzke, professor of food science and innovation and entrepreneurship fellow
  • Michael Dana, professor of horticulture
  • Elizabeth Flaherty, associate department head and professor of forestry and natural resources, received the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award during the 2019-20 academic year.
  • Mark Hall, associate professor of biochemistry
  • Steven Hallett, professor of horticulture
  • Haley Oliver, assistant dean of Ag Online programs and professor of food science, received the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award during the 2017-18 academic year.
  • Kathryn Orvis, professor of horticulture and landscape architecture
  • Christine Wilson, senior associate dean and director of academic programs and professor of agricultural economics, received the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award during the 2007-08 academic year.

(Banner photo caption: Award members attending the ceremony were: Front row: Cale Bigelow, Christine Wilson, Steven Hallett, Laura Bowling and Kathryn Orvis. Back row: Mark Hall, Christian Butzke and Elizabeth Flaherty. Not pictured: Mike Dana, Haley Oliver and Dennis Buckmaster.)

Featured Stories

Bobolink bird
When nature’s song returns

Spring Break season is here, and many Indiana residents are boarding planes and flying south to...

Read More
Yi-Kai Liu, W. Andy Tao, Zhoujun Luo, and Zheng Zhang stand in a row wearing white lab coats.
Protein modification discovery opens cancer therapy possibilities

A research team led by Purdue University’s W. Andy Tao has discovered of a new type of...

Read More
Experts examine trade, policy and economic trends in the 2026 Purdue Agricultural Economics Report outlook issue.
Experts examine trade, policy and economic trends in 2026 Purdue Agricultural Economics Report

Economic uncertainty, shifting trade policies and questions surrounding the future of the U.S....

Read More
Megan Broecker
Hands-on learning leads Megan Broecker to Animal Sciences

Megan Broecker finds her path in animal sciences through hands-on learning, research and leadership.

Read More
Chip biosensor
Purdue research team wants to harness AI to secure corn crops from pathogenic threats

Purdue research team wants to harness AI to secure corn crops from pathogenic threats

Read More
Dr. Michael O. Hunt with Dr. Carl Eckelman in 1967; Dr. Hunt (r) pictured with Dr. Carl Eckelman and Dr. Eva Haviarova at the FNR Professor Emeritus luncheon in 2024.
Tales From FNR with Professor Emeritus Michael O. Hunt

Dr. Michael O. Hunt came to West Lafayette in February 1960 as an assistant professor and...

Read More