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2008 Bush Excellence Award Winners

Announced: February 7, 2008

       The Bush Excellence Awards for Faculty were presented on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 11:30 a.m., during the Consuls General luncheon in the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center at Texas A&M University. 

       Three awards were presented, one each for outstanding work in international teaching, international research, and for public service. The Texas A&M University Bush Excellence Award for Faculty in International Teaching went to Gerald Gale Wagner, professor of Veterinary Pathobiology.  The award for in International Research was awarded to  James G. Womack, distinguished professor of Veterinary Pathobiology, and the award in Public Service went to Gwen Webb-Johnson, assistant professor of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development.

The Bush Excellence Awards were established through the vision and support of President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush with financial assistance from the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation.

“Texas A&M is very grateful to President and Mrs. Bush for establishing the Bush Excellence Awards for Faculty,” said Texas A&M University President Dr. Elsa A. Murano. “Through their generosity as well as that of the Bush Foundation, Texas A&M is able to recognize outstanding faculty members for their achievements in international research, teaching, and public service. We appreciate the work and dedication of Drs. Wagner, Womack, and Webb-Johnson, and congratulate them on this prestigious honor.”

Three anonymous committees, composed of faculty members, reviewed the nominations and selected the awardees.

The teaching award recognizes a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to the international education of Texas A&M students. According to his nominators, Gale Wagner has spent an incredible amount of time internationalizing veterinary education while mentoring students – especially international graduate and professional student.  During visits to many other countries he has raised funds that have allowed a large number of students, particularly from Africa and Mexico, to complete their graduate education at Texas A&M. Wagner has also made it possible for Veterinary students from Mexico, Europe, and South American to pursue externships in Texas.

The research award recognizes a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to international research and obtained international preeminence through research. A 2001 Wolf Prize winner, James Womack is an international leader in advancing genomic research in cattle and other livestock species. He built the first genome map of cattle in the mid 1980’s and has subsequently participated in every phase of the international bovine genome project which has resulted in making it possible for a large number of markers for economically important traits to be developed.

The public service award recognizes a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions in public service by demonstrating a sustained, long-term application of disciplinary expertise to the public or non-profit sector in local, statewide, national, or international arenas. Gwen Webb-Johnson. exhibits a strong commitment to improving the education of African American and Hispanic students and students with disabilities spending considerable time assisting any group – at the local, state and national level – in working toward the improvement of these historically underserved groups on issues related to equitable education. She has spoken to hundreds of groups delivering key notes, conducting workshops, working with parents and students as well as testifying before the Texas State Legislature on critical issues of students with emotional disturbances and behavior disorders.
 

Each recipient will receive a plaque and a check for $2,500 during the luncheon presentation.

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