01/11/07 Pullman ARS scientist named Fellow

Washington Ag January 11, 2007 Ann Kennedy, a USDA Agricultural Research Service scientist, who also serves as an adjunct scientist in Washington State University's crop and soil sciences department, was recently named a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America. Selection as Fellow is the highest honor that societies can bestow on their members and Kennedy says being selected by her peers is pretty special. Kennedy: "But on the other hand I just do my job and have fun with doing research and education things. So I was&.pretty surprised actually." Something else Kennedy does besides her work in soil microbiology that benefits farmers and the environment, is bring elementary students into her lab and the field. Kennedy: "The whole idea here is that the public has this sort of idea that they don't like science, or they don't understand it. So the more kids we can show that science is fun, it is not necessarily this big black box, I think the better off everybody will be." Kennedy believes students need to be exposed to various career options so they are happier with what they choose. Kennedy: "When you are happy with what you have chosen for your career and you know you like, and you know you are good at it, and you value what you do, you are a happier person I think." I'm Bob Hoff.