Dr. Robert Hill Receives UM's Prestigious Landmark Award

At the International Awards Ceremony on November 5th, 2008Provost Nariman Farvardin presented the prestigious Landmark Award to Dr.Robert Hill. The Landmark Award is given for exceptional long-termachievements in support of international life at UM.

Hill Dr. MARK VARNER, Dr. ROBERT HILL,Mr. DALE JOHNSON, Mr. BRAD PALEG, and Dr. PAVEL SOROKIN have developedand implemented a multi faceted program that incorporates distanceeducation technology and subject matter expertise. The groupestablished a distance learning center (RDLC) in Southern Russia thathas garnered national recognition for innovation, and throughvideo-teleconference, brought world-known veterinary experts to aprovince far from Moscow. After nine years of effort, the result hasbeen ground-breaking. This team has helped build the technologicalcapacity of several Russian universities, modernized the curriculum,and created a regional center for education.

The RDLC islocated at Stavropol State Agrarian University in Stavropol, Russia, aregion with few opportunities for continuing education. This programinvolves one university, four institutes, the Ministry of Agriculturein Stavropol Region, practicing veterinarians, a US non-governmentalorganization, and small businesses and farmers in the North Caucasusregion of Russia, as well as the four different units of the College ofAgriculture and Natural Resources. Drs. Varner and Hill have taughtnearly 150 Russian faculty members to use distance education technologysince 1999.

Dr. Varner received his Ph.D. in Physiology fromNorth Carolina State University in 1981. He has been with theUniversity of Maryland since that time, as a Professor and ExtensionSpecialist and currently as Director of the Undergraduate Program inAnimal Sciences. Dr. Hill's Ph.D. was from Iowa State University inSoil Physics in 1984. He also has been with the University of Marylandsince receiving his degree; he is a professor in the Department ofEnvironmental Science and Technology.

Mr. Johnson received hisM.S. in Agricultural Economics from Cornell University in 1986, as wellas a Certificate in Financial Planning in 2006. He is a Regional FarmManagement Specialist with the Extension Service at the WesternMaryland Research and Education Center. Mr. Paleg has a GraduateCertificate in Distance Education and Technology from University ofMaryland University College, as well as an M.B.A. from VirginiaPolytechnic Institute. He is currently the Coordinator and DistanceLearning Specialist of the Office of Information and EducationTechnology's Distance Learning Unit for the College of Agriculture andNatural Resources.

Dr. Sorokin received his Ph.D. in 1986 inAgriculture (Farming Systems) from the Moscow Institute of AgriculturalEngineers, currently the Moscow State Agro-Engineering University,where he is currently a professor in Agribusiness management.

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Last updated: 03/9/2009