Celebrating outstanding faculty and staff

At a ceremony and reception held Sept. 21 in Holmes Lounge, members of the Arts & Sciences community gathered to recognize recipients of the annual faculty and staff awards. Each award-winner has demonstrated exceptional service to the university through service, leadership, or teaching. Congratulations to all the awardees! 

 

Staff Leadership Award

This award honors a staff member who demonstrates exceptional initiative and outstanding execution in efforts that help advance the mission of Arts & Sciences. Awardees are particularly adept at understanding the needs of the school and their unit; working with faculty, staff, and leadership to advance efforts that meet these needs; supporting diversity efforts; and fostering a culture of teamwork and inspiring excellence in others. 

Sara Ryu, Director of Academic Initiatives & Special Advisor to the Vice Dean

Sara Ryu accepts the Staff Leadership Award from Dean Feng Sheng Hu.

 

Staff Service Award

This award recognizes a staff member who has been a key player in operations that are critical to their unit and to Arts & Sciences. Awardees’ performance has consistently exceeded expectations, improved operational effectiveness, and established them as a reliable and trusted colleague.

Simone Becque, Marketing and Communications Manager

Debbie Fjerstad, Psychological & Brain Sciences Accounting Assistant

Jason Ray, Arts & Sciences Computing Client Support Team Lead

Rick Schneider, General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Administrative Assistant

Staff service award recipients Jason Ray, Simone Becque, and Debbie Fjerstad (left to right) listen to remarks. 
Rick Schneider accepts a Staff Service Award from Dean Feng Sheng Hu.

 

Faculty Leadership Award

The Faculty Leadership Award in Arts & Sciences is awarded to an outstanding faculty member in recognition of their exceptional service to the university. The award was established to recognize Arts & Sciences' long history of outstanding faculty leaders who have shaped the university, from developing educational programs and policy to serving on committees and in administration.

Abram Van Engen, Chair and Professor of English

Abram Van Engen, winner of the Faculty Leadership Award, gives remarks. 


Excellence in Teaching Award

The Excellence in Teaching Award in Arts & Sciences was established to honor and publicly recognize an outstanding faculty member in Arts & Sciences for his or her exceptional teaching. Arts & Sciences has a long history of distinguished educators and innovative teaching that enriches the lives of undergraduate and graduate students, and the establishment of this award is a tribute to this tradition. 

Emily Cohen-Shikora, Senior Lecturer in Psychological & Brain Sciences

Miguel Valerio, Assistant Professor of Spanish

Emily Cohen-Shikora accepts an Excellence in Teaching Award. 
Miguel Valerio accepts an Excellence in Teaching Award. 

 

David Hadas Teaching Award

The David Hadas Teaching Award in Arts & Sciences was established in his name in 2008 by Pamela W. Hadas to honor and publicly recognize an outstanding tenured faculty member in Arts & Sciences who demonstrates commitment and excellence in teaching first-year undergraduate students. 

Joe Jez, the Spencer T. Olin Professor in Biology

Joe Jez wins the 2022 David Hadas Teaching Award. 

 

First-Year Programs Teaching Award

The First-Year Programs Teaching Award in Arts & Sciences recognizes pedagogical innovation in teaching first-year students through First-Year Program course offerings (including Ampersand Programs, First-Year Seminars, and First-Year Opportunity courses). The award was established to recognize the value of bringing first-year students into the university community through programs that promote and actively engage students in learning about diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Pathfinder Fellows in Environmental Leadership team: 

David Fike, the Myron and Sonya Glassberg / Albert and Blanche Greensfelder Distinguished University Professor

Beth Martin, Teaching Professor of Environmental Studies

Stan Braude, Teaching Professor of Biology

Suzanne Loui, Lecturer in Environmental Studies

Beth Martin, Suzanne Loui, and David Fike (left to right) are recipients of the 2022 First-Year Programs Teaching Award. 

 

 

Dean’s Award for Diversity Advancement

This award will be given annually and recognizes contributions from Arts & Sciences faculty who advance diversity in research, teaching, or service. This award highlights transformative research, teaching, or creative practice that significantly advances and promotes diversity on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, neurological ability, socioeconomic status, age, nationality, or sexual identity. Contributions might include research that has driven a change in the nominee’s field of study, teaching or mentoring that significantly benefits underrepresented groups, or service that improves campus culture in ways that advance diversity and inclusion. (Geoff Ward was unable to attend the ceremony and reception.) 

Geoff Ward, Professor of African and African-American Studies

 

 

Dean's Early-Career Research Award

This new award recognizes outstanding achievements in research and creative activity by scholars who have recently been awarded tenure. The award winner was selected in consultation with the Arts & Sciences Promotion and Tenure Committee after having reviewed the tenure cases in the current year.

Caityln Collins, Associate Professor of Sociology

Caitlyn Collins is the inaugural recipient of the Dean's Early-Career Research Award. 

 

Dean's Mid-Career Research Award 

The new Dean’s Mid-Career Research Award ecognizes outstanding achievements in research and creative activity by scholars who have recently been promoted to the rank of professor. The award winner was selected in consultation with the Arts & Sciences Promotion and Tenure Committee after having reviewed the promotion cases in the current year.

Lori Markson, Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences

Lori Markson accepts the inaugural Dean's Mid-Career Research Award. 

 

Dean's Strategic Partnership Award

Arts & Sciences only achieve its goals with the help of many people across the university, in other schools and in the central administration. This new award recognizes a university leader outside Arts & Sciences who has been an invaluable partner and colleague to our school.

Ronné Turner, Vice Provost for Admissions & Financial Aid

 

Ronné Turner gives remarks after receiving the inaugural Dean's Strategic Partnership Award.