Donald G. McGahan accepted an offer to be Assistant Professor starting the Fall of 2008, was promoted to Associate Professor in 2015, and Professor in 2022.
During Dr. McGahan’s time at Tarleton State University he has been active in the Professional Soil Scientists of Texas (PSSAT) organization and served in a leadership role 2009–2010 as Vice President of that Organization. In 2015 Dr. McGahan worked with the Stephenville Texas Soil Survey Staff to excavate, characterize and organize a “Review of the Soils and Landscapes of Erath County, Texas” including the eighty-four page accompanying field tour guide. (http://pssat.org//FieldTrips/2015_PSSAT_Fall_Field_Tour.pdf).
In 2011 Donald became Associate Editor of the Soil Horizons Journal and remained Assoc. Ed. until 2015.
Donald’s entire time at Tarleton State University he has participated as an academic scholar and cooperator with the USDA-NRCS National Cooperative Soil Survey Southern Region. In July 2009 Dr. McGahan lead a team of USDA-NRCS Soil Scientist and Professor Associates from Texas A&M University College Station to excavate sample and characterize a Renick Site soil in Gillespie County TX. In 2012 representatives from the local NRCS office recognized McGahan, and presented him with a silver shovel, State Soil monolith and a framed copy of Gov. Rick Perry’s proclamation marking the “Last Acre” of the survey (https://www.tarleton.edu/news-archive/professor-recognized-for-work-in-statewide-soil-survey/). In June 2016 Dr. McGahan participated in addressing South Regional Cooperative Soil Survey issues and priorities planning and goal setting for the USDA-NRCS at meetings in Rincón, Puerto Rico.
Next Donalds scholarly collaborations went from regional to National, serving as a Soil Science Society of America Division Chair, and by planning and executing a multiple day Texas Soil Landscapes SSSA Tour for the Soil Science Society of America in 2019. The tour comprised fifteen excavations from Dallas, to Graham, Llano, Junction, terminating in San Antonio and a 147 page guide and manual was provided to participants.
Internationally Donald participated as Plenary session speaker in 2015, and shepherded students presenting at scholarly conferences in Poland in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.
Together with Dr Barry Lambert Dr. Donald McGahan instructed Study Abroad in Poland for four years (2014–2018).
The awards started with Dr McGahan receiving the Teaching Award of Merit from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture association.
Donald is determined to instill a passion in learning by exhibiting a passion for instruction. He served as Center for Instructional Innovation Faculty Fellow, 2013–2015 and was awarded the Tarleton State Universities O.A. Grant Excellence in Teaching in 2013–2014 and 2019–2020 (https://www.tarleton.edu/universityawards/wp-content/uploads/sites/261/2022/09/oa-grant-honorees-list1.pdf).
Donald is most proud that in April 2019 was awarded the Tarleton State University Jack and Louise Arthur Faculty Award for Excellence In Teaching for exemplifying excellence in university teaching. (https://www.tarleton.edu/news/tarleton-honors-faculty-staff-for-outstanding-achievements-service/)
Donald was awarded the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (COAES) Barry B. Thompson Service Award 2017–2018 (https://www.tarleton.edu/coanr/wp-content/uploads/sites/228/2022/08/February-2018-Newsletter.pdf)
Donald has mentored some fine graduate researchers and some have extended their post baccalaureate studies to enter doctoral programs. In there time as MS researchers at Tarleton State University they proudly garnered awards.
Lauren Selph and Drs. Donald McGahan, Eunsung Kan and James Muir, first place, Agriculture – “Feeding Better Biochar to Bermuda Grass” at the Texas A&M University System’s 15th annual Pathways Student Research Symposium at West Texas A&M. (https://www.tarleton.edu/news/eleven-tarleton-students-place-at-am-systems-research-symposium/)
In November 2016 at Tarleton State Universities 2nd annual Research and Scholarship Appreciation Week Dr Donald McGahan’s MS candidate Mentee Sarah Shawver won the award for Graduate Poster Presentation titled “Variation of Soil Bacterial Communities across a Vegetative Transect of Live Oak and Ashe Juniper” (https://www.tarleton.edu/news/tarleton-announces-winners-of-annual-student-research-symposium-2/). Ms Shawver also won the top award at an international symposium in Poland.
In Donald’s early years at Tarleton State University he participated in three FFA Land Evaluation Contests each spring. He gave this up to double down by mentoring Tarleton students participating in the (Students of Agriculture, Soil, and Environmental Science (SASES) Regional and National Soil Judging sponsored by the Soil Science Society of America. The dividends paid when in 2021 the “Texan Soil Whisperers” placed in regionals to compete in the 2022 National contest hosted by The Ohio State University. In 2022 the “Texan Soil Whisperers” again placed in regional competition and in 2023 won first place for Team Judged Soil in National Competition hosted by Oklahoma State University.
Awards and Honors
Jack and Louise Arthur Excellence in Teaching Award, Tarleton State University. (March 5, 2019).
O.A. Grant Teaching Excellence Award, College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences. (January 25, 2019).
Barry B. Thompson Service Award, Tarleton State University – College of Agriculture and Environmental Science. (January 18, 2018).
ICE Silver Award, Mentor and Outreach, Biology and Environmental Science at Barbara Cardwell Career Preparatory Center in Irving Irving Independent School District, Texas. (September 13, 2012 – 2014).
O.A. Grant Teaching Excellence Award, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. (January 9, 2014).
Teaching Award of Merit, North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture. (September 2012).
TAMUS Student Recognition Award for Teaching Excellence, Texas A&M University System. (June 22, 2012).
Recognition of Contribution, USDA-NRCS. (February 15, 2012).