Professor Sharon Jean-Philippe received the 2024 Alex L. Shigo Award for Excellence in Arboricultural Education on August 13 at the International Society of Arboriculture‘s Annual Conference in Atlanta. The award recognizes how education enhances the quality and professionalism of the arboriculture industry through excellence in arboriculture education.
“I am truly honored to have been nominated and selected for the ISA 2024 Alex L. Shigo Award for Excellence in Arboricultural Education,” Jean-Philippe said. “Over the past 14 years, I have dedicated my career to exposing students to arboriculture and urban forestry by providing outlets for them to become better practitioners, researchers and eventually leaders in the green industry.”
Jean-Philippe is an urban forestry faculty advisor and professor in the School of Natural Resources. She is also the faculty director of undergraduate research and fellowships for the Division of Student Success in the Herbert College of Agriculture.
She helped bring the National Champion Tree Program to the School of Natural Resources in 2023 and is the current Tennessee Champion Tree Program faculty advisor.
Jean-Philippe also serves as Gamma Beta Phi Society‘s national executive committee president.
Her outreach through Extension focuses on raising awareness and promoting the benefits of green infrastructure, environmental quality and greener cities across urban and suburban communities in Tennessee. Her research projects look at sampling methodology for urbanization and residual forest dynamics, street tree diversity, street tree soil health, park diversity and human perceptions.
