September 18, 2024
Veterinary faculty receive awards for teaching, outreach and research excellence
This past spring semester, the College of Veterinary Medicine presented three of its most distinguished faculty awards to Emily Klocke, Mac Hafen and Jishu Shi.
Klocke, clinical professor in small animal surgery, was nominated and chosen by the previous year's students for the Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teaching award. Going back to 1963, this is an award presented at each of the veterinary colleges throughout the United States. It goes to an outstanding teacher who advances the veterinary profession by inspiring students to their highest levels of achievement and professionalism.
Klocke earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Michigan State University in 1999. She then completed both an internship and a residency in small animal surgery at Purdue University. She is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. She teaches veterinary surgery to third-year students and small animal soft tissue surgery courses to fourth-year students.
"I am truly honored to receive this award and very fortunate to work with such wonderful students," Klocke said. "Seeing them grow in their knowledge and skills is an award in itself. I am so lucky to be a part of the College of Veterinary Medicine and to engage with these students every day."
Hafen, clinical associate professor and director of counseling services, received the Dr. William and Deanna Pritchard Veterinary Service and Outreach Award. This award was created in honor of Pritchard, a 1946 K-State alumnus who became dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis.
Hafen earned his master's degree in family and human development from Utah State University. Then, he completed his doctorate in marriage and family therapy from Brigham Young University. Hafen has completed research about veterinary medical student wellness, communication training and companion animal loss.
"I'm honored to receive this award," Hafen said. "As a therapist, I'm thankful that mental health is viewed as an important component of veterinary service and outreach. Personally, it feels good to know that others see value in my efforts."
"We are pleased to honor Dr. Klocke and Dr. Hafen with these annual awards within the College of Veterinary Medicine," said Bonnie Rush, Hodes Family Dean of the veterinary college. "Their contributions as educators and clinicians have advanced our college, as well as providing unmatched learning experiences and support to our students."
Jishu Shi, professor of vaccine immunology and director of the Center on Biologics Development and Evaluation, was chosen for the Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence. As the college's highest research honor, this award was formally presented as part of the annual Phi Zeta Research Day activities held in March.
Shi earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Beijing/China Agricultural University in 1985. He completed a master's degree in veterinary immunology in 1988 at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. In 1995, Shi earned a doctorate in immunophysiology at K-State in 1995. He completed postdoctoral training at UCLA in 1998.
Shi has been awarded 52 research grants for more than $10 million in research funding since 2009. He has 73 scientific publications, written four book chapters and has licensed 11 patents in industry. Shi has mentored seven graduate students while serving on supervisory committees for 13 more graduate students.
"I am deeply honored to receive this Zoetis award," Shi said, "I am immensely grateful to everyone on our team, from research assistant professors and associates to undergraduate student researchers, from research collaborators to industry partners. This award is also special personally, because I used to work for Pfizer, the former parent company of Zoetis. And Pfizer Animal Health/Zoetis has been a major partner for our U.S.-China Joint DVM program since 2010."