Honors Research and Creative Achievements Program

The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) Honors Research and Creative Achievements Program enables capable students to expand and improve their skills in the use of knowledge and to further stimulate their curiosity for continual learning. This is accomplished through the completion of an honors project and the reporting of that project in written and oral form in ANR 498, Honors Presentation. The Honors Research and Creative Achievements Program is administered by CASNR with the assistance of the Honors Advisory Committee composed of faculty representatives from each of the departments. The objectives of the program are:

• To increase the scope of educational attainment by providing a program with greater breadth and depth;
• To provide special recognition for outstanding scholastic achievement; and
• To foster a sustained interest in advanced education, research and creative achievement.

Several unique benefits accrue from participation in the Honors Research and Creative Achievements Program. One is the opportunity to explore, independently and in depth, a career area of interest through working closely with faculty on an honors project. In addition, faculty teaching 500 level courses are encouraged to allow students in the Honors Research and Creative Achievements Program to participate in their courses if they have the appropriate background. Additional benefits include gaining:

• Unique learning experiences through completion of an Honors Project and participation in graduate level courses;
• Closer association and interaction with faculty members;
• Experience as a valuable part of a research, Extension or teaching team;
• Flexibility in developing the program of study;
• Eligibility for an Honors Project Award;
• Experience in presenting results before an audience of peers and/or fellow professionals;
• Recognition of academic achievement at the CASNR Graduation Banquet; and
• Notation of Honors Research and Creative Achievements Program participation on the University Transcript.

Students with a GPA of 3.25 or above and who are juniors, seniors, or second semester junior transfer students are eligible to participate. The core of the Honors Research and Creative Achievements Program is scholarly activity, wherein students, on advice from faculty members, propose, prepare and conduct an academic project of their choice. This project will be relevant to one or more of the missions of land grant institutions: research, extension and/or instruction. The intent of this activity is to provide the student with hands on experience in the functioning of persons in academia and, therefore, projects must be of a creative nature. Participation in and, especially, presentation of the project results at a regional or national meeting in the awardee's field is desired.

Following are the reports of the students who have participated in the CASNR Honors Research and Creative Achievements Program since its inception in 2003. The purpose of sharing these reports with the College and University communities is to acknowledge students' achievements and the quality of their work and to provide that work as an information resource to others.

Download the Guidelines for the Honors Research and Creative Achievements Program .

 

Contact Us. . .

The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
2621 Morgan Circle
125 Morgan Hall
Knoxville, TN 37996
Phone: (865) 974-7303
Fax: (865) 974-9329
Email: casnr@utk.edu