Dr. Patton, a parasitologist, recently received the 1999 Norden Distinguished Teacher Award for Teacher of the Year in Veterinary Medicine in North America from the American Veterinary Medical Association. This is the highest veterinary teaching award in the nation. Dr. Patton has received numerous teaching awards including the 1999 UT Distinguished Service Professorship. She is Vice-President of the American Society of Parasitologists. She has done research with all the different groups of parasitic worms; currently her research area is on toxoplasmosis. Dr. Patton has been a mentor to students of all ages from elementary school through graduate school.