AMSA is excited to announc that Dr. T. Dean Pringle, a Professor in the Animal and Dairy Science (ADS) Department at the University of Georgia, is the recipient of the 2012 Distinguished Teaching Award. The award, sponsored by Kraft Foods/Oscar Mayer Division, Madison, Wisconsin, was established to recognize excellence in the teaching of undergraduate and graduate meat science courses and the positive impact on the lives of students. Dr. Pringle will be honored at a special reception and awards presentation at the AMSA 65th Reciprocal Meat Conference on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 in Fargo, ND. 

ASMA Executive Director Dr. Thomas Powell said, “Excellence in teaching is an important factor in the development of new scientists. Dean is a leader in teaching excellence, and in equipping future meat scientists with the tools and knowledge they need to address tomorrow's challenges.”

Dr. T. Dean Pringle currently serves as the ADS Coordinator of Undergraduate Advising at the University of Georgia. In addition to his administrative duties, Dr. Pringle teaches Introduction to Animal Science, Live Animal and Carcass Evaluation, Experimental Techniques in Meat Science and Muscle Biology and Advanced Meat Processing. He also coordinates the departmental internship program and advises both undergraduate and graduate students.
Dr. Pringle’s research program focuses on developing and assessing critical thinking skills in Animal and Dairy Science undergraduates and in understanding factors that influence student engagement. In addition, Dr. Pringle has investigated meat quality attributes of beef cattle and swine, focusing on improving the consumer acceptability of these products through improvements in meat tenderness and carcass composition.

Dr. Pringle has cooperated in a multi-disciplinary fashion across departments and institutions with scientists from around the U.S., including Texas A&M University, the University of Illinois, the University of Florida, Fort Valley State University, Pennsylvania State University, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, USDA-AMS, and USDA-ARS. In addition, Dr. Pringle cooperates with the national agricultural research institutions of Uruguay and Brazil on methods to improve their beef industries. His efforts have resulted in approximately 33 refereed articles, 70 scientific abstracts, and over $1.5 million in extramural funding.

Dr. Pringle’s real passion, however, is for the mentoring and education of students. He began teaching in 1995 and has worked with nearly 2,000 students during that time. He began advising in 1996 and advises around 100-120 undergraduates per semester in the Animal and Dairy Science program.

Dean has been recognized for his efforts with students by being selected as the 1996 Outstanding Faculty Member in ADS, receiving the 2001 Gamma Sigma Delta Outstanding Teacher Award, the 2004 Larry Benyshek Award for Teaching in the Animal and Dairy Science Department, the 2008 Outstanding Faculty Member in ADS, the 2010 UGA Student Government Outstanding Teacher, and the 2010 D.W. Brooks Award for Excellence in Teaching.

For his advising efforts, Dean was recognized as the 2011 Outstanding Academic Advisor in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. He was inducted into AgHon, The University of Georgia Agricultural Honor Society, in the spring of 1998. In recognition of his long-term service as faculty advisor to the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, he was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the fraternity in 2003 and one of the Brothers of the Century in 2004 by the national fraternity.