Animal and dairy sciences assistant professor Sarah Adcock and plant and agroecosystem sciences assistant professor Shelby Ellison were selected to receive the 2024 Alfred Toepfer Faculty Fellow Awards. The one-year award is bestowed on pre-tenure faculty whose research benefits agricultural activities within the United States and whose areas of interest lie in the scientific fields of crop research, improvements in crop yield and quality, or animal sciences.

Adcock joined the CALS faculty in July 2020. Her research interests include evaluating how farm practices affect animals, developing strategies to optimize outcomes, and understanding the interconnections between animal welfare, socio-economic issues, and environmental challenges on a local and global scale. A common goal of her research objectives is to achieve sustainable, socially responsible food production that benefits humans and animals alike.

Ellison joined the CALS faculty in August 2020. Her research interests include preserving, characterizing and utilizing genetic diversity in alternative crops to meet the needs of Wisconsin farmers. She is also interested in how human interactions with plants have altered the plant genome and how we can trace domestication and improvement throughout history. Ellison works with a multidisciplinary team to identify best production practices and cultivars for Wisconsin hemp producers.