Kansas State University

Two distinguished Kansas State University researchers, Walter Dodds and Hans Coetzee, have been selected as recipients of the prestigious Higuchi-KU Endowment Research Achievement Awards.  

The awards are the state higher education system’s most prestigious recognition for scholarly excellence.  

Dodds, university distinguished professor and Edwin G. & Lillian J. Brychta Chair of Biology, is the recipient of the Olin Petefish Award in Basic Sciences.  

Dodds was the lead organizer behind the Stream Experimental and Observational Network, a group of aquatic scientists from across North America who proposed a continent-scale network of sensors that collects stream and lake data. This group shaped the design of the National Ecological Observatory Network, which now extensively monitors 20 U.S. freshwater sites for a targeted 30 years. The data collected so far has already resulted in hundreds of scientific publications.  

His work is both local and global. Dodds’ efforts assess the water quality, nutrient pollution and biogeochemistry of freshwater ecosystems in Kansas, such as the Konza Prairie. A better understanding of these ecosystems can shed light on the effectiveness of conservation efforts essential to protecting our planet and our drinking water. Dodds is recognized among the top 2% of researchers worldwide, according to an analysis by Stanford University.  

“I am humbled to be included in the list of prior and current recipients,” Dodds said. “I am deeply indebted to my collaborators and the state of Kansas for supporting my position. I am gratified for the continued recognition that scholarly achievement based on facts has societal relevance.” 

Hans Coetzee, university distinguished professor of anatomy and physiology and interim vice president for research, is the recipient of the Irvin Youngberg Award in Applied Sciences.  

Coetzee grew up around animals on his family’s dairy farm in South Africa. There he noticed that there were no standards for minimizing pain and discomfort in farm animals. While some livestock producers in America use human pain medicine off-label for animals, approval for livestock-specific drugs requires ways of assessing their effectiveness. This is especially challenging given that many farm animals hide signs of pain to avoid predation. Coetzee and his team used creative methods — such as pressure mats that evaluate whether animals are limping and blood tests that measure anxiety-related hormones — to standardize pain detection. 

These tests led to the approval of the first livestock analgesics, or pain medications, that have comforted millions of animals. Coetzee holds two U.S. patents and is recognized in the top 2% of researchers in his field worldwide by a Stanford University analysis of publications.  

“I am honored and humbled to receive the Higuichi-KU award in applied sciences,” said Coetzee. “This recognition underscores the importance of advancing research to understand and alleviate pain in livestock, ultimately improving animal welfare and agricultural sustainability. I am deeply grateful for the support and collaborations that have made this work possible.” 

Dodds and Coetzee will be recognized at a ceremony this spring along with recipients of other major KU research awards.  

This is the 43rd annual presentation of the Higuchi awards, established in 1981 by Takeru Higuchi, a distinguished professor at the University of Kansas from 1967 to 1983, his wife Aya and the KU Endowment Association. The awards recognize exceptional long-term research accomplishments by faculty at Kansas Board of Regents universities. Each honoree receives $10,000 for their ongoing research.