(12/16/25) BATON ROUGE, La. — The LSU AgCenter and LSU College of Agriculture announced the winners of their annual faculty and staff awards during a joint ceremony with the Southern University Ag Center and Southern University College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences on Dec. 15 at the LSU Union Theatre.

The winner of this year’s Extension Excellence Award was Evelyn Watts, associate professor in the College of Agriculture’s School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, and the AgCenter state seafood specialist.

Taking home the Floyd S. Edmiston Award was Michael Deliberto, professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness.

Cristina Sabilov received the Doyle Chambers Research Award. Sabilov is the Scott and Ruth Bergeron professor, specializing in biological and agricultural engineering.

The winner of the G&H Seed Research Award was Rodrigo Diaz, an AgCenter entomologist.

Six scientists who have worked investigating taproot decline in soybeans received the Tipton Team Research Award. They are mycologist Vinson Doyle, plant pathologists Boyd Padgett, Trey Price, Jonathan Richards and Raj Singh, and Myra Purvis, a research associate at the Macon Ridge Research Station.

The AgCenter Extension Team Award went to Community Health Connections in Caddo and Bossier parishes, which included nutrition and community health extension regional coordinator Abigail McAlister, nutrition and community health agent Elizabeth Martin and retired nutrition and community health agent Grace Peterson.

The Central Region Junior Ag Leadership program won the Rosalie Bivin 4-H Youth Development Award. The group included Esther Bowe, Central Region coordinator, Evangeline Parish agent Kimberly Deville, Allen Parish agent Brooke LaFargue and Avoyelles Parish agent Ann Soileau.

The Outstanding Service Award for Associates went to Jacob Fluitt, the research associate coordinator at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station.

Director of Sponsored Programs Michelle Miller was the recipient of the Ganelle Bullock Outstanding Service Award.

Entomology professor Jeff Davis received the Sedberry Award for Outstanding Graduate Teacher, while the Sedberry Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher went to agriculture economics professor Matt Fannin.

Lindsay Barleycorn received the National Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Teaching Award. Barleycorn is an instructor in the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences.

Trina Biswas, a senior instructor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, won the Student Success Award.

Horticulture agent Mary Helen Ferguson took home the Louisiana Agriculture Magazine's Article of the Year for her piece, "Keeping Ahead of Strawberry Diseases: LSU AgCenter Working with Strawberry Growers to Manage New Disease."

Finally, Brenda Tubaña, AgCenter soil fertility expert, won the International Programming Award.

The Southern University Ag Center and the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Science also presented awards during the ceremony.

LSU AgCenter and LSU College of Agriculture award winners were honored during a joint ceremony with the Southern University Ag Center and Southern University College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences on Dec. 15 at the LSU Union Theatre. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter