Dr. Jack Elliot named Senior Fellow by both national, international agricultural education organizations
COLLEGE STATION — For only the second time in the history of the profession, Dr. Jack Elliot, a senior scientist at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture and department head for Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, has been named Senior Faculty Fellow by both national and international agricultural education organizations.
Dr. Jack Elliot recently became one of only two ever named Senior Fellow by both his national and international professional organizations. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Jack Elliot)
He was first honored as a Senior Fellow of the American Association of Agricultural Education, followed a few days later by being named a Senior Fellow of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education.
Elliot has specialized in educational assessment and international human and institutional capacity development.
“There is only one other person in the history of our profession who has achieved this honor in both associations,” said Theresa Murphrey, president of the international agricultural education organization.
“Because of the nature of our work and research, we are not eligible to be inducted into the Academy of Science, so this is the highest achievement our profession can bestow,” said Tim Murphy, president of the national organization.
The only other person to receive Senior Fellow honors from both organizations is Dr. Larry Miller, a retired professor at Ohio State University, who was named Senior Fellow by the national organization in 1994 and by the international organization in 2012, Elliot said.
“Other Texas A&M faculty who are previous winners include Drs. Glen Shinn, Gary Briers and Tim Murphy, who were honored by the AAAE, and Drs. Gary Wingenbach and Kim Dooley, who were honored by the AIAEE,” he said.
The purpose of the Senior Fellow award of the American Association for Agricultural Education is to “recognize those members of the association who have made exceptional and sustained contributions to the profession and who have more than 20 years of active service at the university level.”
No more than three Senior Fellows may be elected in a calendar year, according to the association’s guidelines.
Similarly, the purpose of the Senior Fellow award of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education is to “recognize and nourish AIAEE members who have made exceptional and sustained contributions to the profession and who have more than 15 years of service as a professional in agricultural and Extension education.”
Elliot received both his bachelor’s degree in agricultural education and his master’s degree in agricultural economics at Washington State University. He earned his doctoral degree in agricultural education from Ohio State University.
Elliot has specialized in educational assessment and international human and institutional capacity development.
Elliot was nominated for his national Senior Fellow award by Dr. Billye B. Foster, professor and director of the School of Agriculture at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tenn. Foster was Elliot’s colleague for 15 years during his tenure at the University of Arizona.
Foster noted that Elliot’s honors and awards received since he earned his bachelor’s degree range from the Association for Career and Technical Education Research’s Outstanding Beginning Scholar award in 1991 to the same association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2011.
Elliot’s additional accolades include awards in the categories of outstanding educator, excellence in teaching, meritorious departmental achievement in instruction and international agricultural education.
The national award cited Elliot’s accomplishments in teaching, investigative competency, service, leadership and professional publications. His publications include six books, 40 books edited, 107 technical papers, one current proposed patent and 84 invited lectures.
“Perhaps Dr. Elliot’s greatest attribute,” wrote Foster, “is his ability to make connections and encourage collaboration.”
This was evident last spring when Texas A&M University’s vice chancellor asked Elliot to chair the New Resource Strategies Task Force, Foster said.
“This group consisted of leaders from four state agencies and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences,” Foster said. “His report has led to the development of interdisciplinary action teams that work together to submit proposals and solve state, national and international problems.”
From 1988 to 1992, Elliot served as an assistant professor in the department of agricultural and extension education at Michigan State University, and as professor and head of the department of agricultural education at the University of Arizona from 1992 to 2008. Since 2009, he has been professor and head of the department of agricultural leadership, education and communications and senior scientist at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture at Texas A&M.
