Mary Ahearn, PhD 1984, Recognized with Legacy Award

The College of Agricultural Sciences annually acknowledges the significant contributions of our distinguished alumni through the Legacy Award. The Legacy Award is a career lifetime achievement award, and it is given to an individual who has made a lasting and meritorious contribution to their chosen field, OSU, or society at large throughout their career. For 2017, the Legacy Award is bestowed to our alumnae Mary Ahearn, PhD 1984.

During her thirty-year career with the Economic Research Service, a branch of the United State Department of Agriculture, Dr. Ahearn provided outstanding research and outreach contributions that benefited farming communities and rural households throughout the United States. Dr. Ahearn both strengthened on-going programs and pushed the agency to work in important new areas such as: Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food; New and Beginning Farmer; and Rural Development Strike Force Initiatives. She also held a series of important leadership positions both in the USDA and in the Agricultural Economics profession and received numerous professional awards, including USDA's highest award, the Secretary's Honor Award, in 2012. Dr. Ahearn retired from the USDA in 2014 but continues to be very active as a consulting economist.

Dr. Ahearn will be in Corvallis in October to accept her award. As part of her visit, she will lead a conversation (along with Rebecca Lent and Sharon Kelly) about life in Applied Economics after AEC. The event will take place on October 12, at 2:00 pm in Ballard 200C. All are welcome!  Coffee and treats will be served. 

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