Faculty Awards
Multiple Agricultural Economics faculty received awards this spring.
Dr. Logan Britton
The Eta Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta at Kansas State University held its annual spring reception in April, celebrating significant accomplishments within the agricultural and applied sciences and honoring faculty dedicated to the core values of the land-grant mission – research, teaching, and outreach benefiting the state. Dr. Logan Britton was recognized with the prestigious Early Career Award for his innovative work in agricultural economics and his commitment to student mentorship.
"I’m honored to be recognized with the Early Career Award by K-State’s Gamma Sigma Delta chapter. I’m especially thankful for the students, colleagues, and mentors who have supported me along the way. Their encouragement and collaboration have helped me grow as an economist, researcher, and teacher. I’m proud to be part of a department that values both academic excellence and community," Britton said.
Established in 1914, the Eta Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta is a faculty-governed honorary society committed to upholding high standards of scholarship, character, and proficiency in agricultural and related sciences. This organization is dedicated to advancing excellence in scholarship, research, and service across the agricultural and applied sciences disciplines.
Dr. Lonnie Hobbs
Dr. Lonnie Hobbs recently became a SciComm Identities Project fellow, expanding his expertise in science communication.
“The SciComm Identities Award is a nationally competitive award for young faculty members. It means a great deal to me, as the goal is to improve young professionals' ability to communicate in ways that embrace their unique personality styles,” Hobbs said. “Being selected as one of the few recipients this year is truly an honor.”
Hobbs is an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. He specializes in agribusiness, marketing, pet food economics, teaching and learning, and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
The program is designed to help professors communicate research more effectively, particularly to students. Its primary goal is to enhance the scientific communication skills of tenured and tenure-track faculty by teaching them how to express their work in ways that resonate with their intended audiences.
“It has taught me to identify the most relevant aspects of research for my audience and convey them effectively,” Hobbs said. “I’ve now begun sharing these communication strategies with my research students as well.”
During the program, participants explore intercultural communication theory to test and develop new approaches to science communication—an element that stood out to Hobbs.
“Being a lifelong learner, I was immediately drawn to the opportunity to enhance my communication skills and network with other young professionals in academia. Working in a profession where communication is essential,” Hobbs said, “I recognized this as a valuable chance to develop skills that would benefit not only my students but also my department, college, university and the stakeholders I work with.”
Dr. Hobbs’ participation in the SciComm Identities Project marks an important step in his ongoing journey as both a scholar and educator, equipping him with tools to make science more accessible, inclusive and impactful for the next generation.
Dr. Dan O'Brien
Dr. Dan O’Brien has recently been awarded the Lincoln Department of Agricultural Economics 2025 Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of Nebraska.
This award brought back many memories and reminded O’Brien of his capabilities in the Agricultural Economics industry.
“This recognition is humbling, as I consider how many very capable and successful people have graduated from UNL Agricultural Economics.” O’Brien said “To be counted among respected graduates of UNL Ag Econ along with other people who have accomplished great things in their careers is something amazing for me to consider.”
O’Brien grew up on a farm near Geneva, Nebraska. He appreciated the environmental and economic forces that came from growing up on a farm. This was his inspiration.
“The best way to describe it is that my way of thinking seemed to fit well into the framework or academic discipline of Agricultural Economics - which provided a framework for understanding the factors impacting farm profitability and survivability,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien pushes students wanting to pursue careers in the field to find satisfaction in applying knowledge to the Agricultural Economics theory. He mentioned the real world issues that affect our world today.
The only thing O’Brien regrets from his career is when he had good ideas in applied research or educational outreach and did not pursue it. His advice to future Agricultural Economics students, “be continuously motivated by your intellectual curiosity in this area of study.“
