The UNL Chapter of Sigma Xi, the science and engineering honorary society, has announced the winners of its 2009 awards for outstanding researchers, outstanding graduate student, and outstanding science librarian. Recipients being honored are:

Sally Mackenzie, professor of Agronomy and Horticulture, has been selected for the Outstanding Scientist Award for international recognition on the genomes of plant mitochondria.

Jens Walter, assistant professor of Food Science, has been selected for the Outstanding Young Scientist Award. He has been cited for his novel contributions to understanding the ecology and evolution of microbial intestinal symbionts

Amy Knobbe, Biochemistry, was selected for the Outstanding Graduate Student Award. She has identified a gene in Chlamydomonas encoding a carbon transporter and is characterizing that gene product.

Mo Khamouna, Nebraska School of Technical Agriculture, has been selected for Outstanding Science Librarian. He has been active in developing the library facilities for NSTA and has turned the facility into a resource for the campus and surrounding area.

The Sigma Xi 2010 Award Selection Committee was John Osterman, chair of Biological Sciences; Don Beermann, Animal Science; Anthony Starace, Physics; and Don Weeks, Biochemistry.

Sigma Xi is an international honorary scientific research society whose programs and activities promote the health of the scientific enterprise and honor scientific achievement. There are nearly 60,000 Sigma Xi members in over 500 chapters at colleges and universities, industrial research centers and government laboratories. The University of Nebraska Chapter was organized in 1897. For further information on the UNL Chapter, go to www.sigmaxi.org/chapters/web/Nebraska.