Women of Achievement Award

Women of Achievement Awards honor faculty, staff, and students who improve the status of women on campus.

This year’s faculty honoree is Dr. Bonnie Hope Ownley, associate professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. She holds a B.S. in biology from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill and a Ph.D. in plant pathology from North Carolina State. A graduate student writes that “she is someone who has students and their well-being as her first priority.” She is a successful role model with innovative ideas and involvement in many important committees, including the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, and chair of the executive committee for the Institute of Agriculture Advisory Council. She has developed biotechnology workshops for middle and high school students and has taught workshops for students in economically disadvantaged communities, all while maintaining an active research program and extensive publication record.

This year’s staff honoree is Judy A. Moore, director of the Office of Finance and Administrative Affairs in the College of Engineering. In addition to managing the college’s $55-million budget, Moore also reviews grant proposals before they are sent to the dean and serves on numerous college and campus committees. One of her nominating letters notes that “her generosity, kind nature, poise, and wisdom make her an excellent role model for all women.”

 

The graduate student award winner is Erin Gillam, a Ph.D. student in ecology and evolutionary biology, whose research focuses on the ecology and biology of bats. Working long hours and traveling to investigate bat colonies, she has published research in several prestigious journals. Her research has attracted attention in scientific circles, in the Wall Street Journal, and on PBS. In the Graduate Student Senate she has also worked to improve heath insurance, travel funding, and stipends.

 

The undergraduate student award winner is Taylor Schuh, a global studies major. In 2006, while serving as women’s issues director for Panhellenic, she coordinated with other university organizations to plan the “Week of the Woman” in 2006, which broadened the activities already in place as part of the “Take Back the Night” march. She also developed an award to be given each month for women in the community or on campus who represent strong leadership.