Athens, Ga. – University of Georgia researcher and Ph.D. student Micah Lewis was recently named the recipient of the 2011 George Washington Carver Award for his work with peanuts.
The National Peanut Board selected Lewis, a doctoral candidate in biological and agricultural engineering, for the honor in recognition of his research on peanuts as well as his service activities. As a researcher, Lewis studies ways to improve peanut drying by optimizing the design of a feedback controller. His civic contributions include participating in music ministry at his church as well as outreach activities for the less fortunate.
“I am extremely honored and humbled to have received this award,” Lewis said. “Winning such an award named after a profound and selfless researcher, scientist and inventor is truly amazing, and I am honored to have even been considered among the other applicants. The magnitude of winning such an award is just beginning to sink in.”
Lewis, who is from Albany, was presented with the $1,000 prize and a plaque on July 13 at the annual American Peanut Research and Education Society conference in San Antonio, Texas.
“The National Peanut Board is honored to give the tenth annual Carver Award to a brilliant student such as Micah,” said Jeffrey Pope, Virginia board member and chairman of the NPB research committee. “This kind of agricultural engineering research helps ensure the profitability of peanuts for growers and the long-term sustainability of peanut production for posterity. And, as a farmer, I’d like to express my personal gratitude to Micah for his research and his commitment to the community.”
Headquartered in Atlanta, the Peanut Board also awards a matching amount to the winner’s university for peanut research.
Lewis is UGA’s fourth Carver Award winner. Previous UGA honorees were Dylan Wann in 2010, Jason Woodward in 2006 and Ekuwa Quist in 2005.
Named for the nation’s foremost peanut researcher, the George Washington Carver Award honors its namesake by annually recognizing a researcher with strong community service ties.
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