More than 25 faculty members honored for excellence in teaching, scholarship and outreach

More than 25 faculty members have been honored with awards for teaching, mentorship and research this spring, including a double honoree. Thomas Gianetti, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, won the Early Career Scholars Award and the Early Career Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award.

The awards, announced April 18, are presented annually by the Office of the Provost, the Honors College, the Graduate College, the Postdoctoral Affairs office and the GIFT Center at the University of Arizona Foundation. This year's honors include two new awards: the University Distinguished Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards and the Distinguished Head/Director's Award.

The University plans to hold a recognition event in the spring of 2023. The ceremony will include Regents Professor appointments, the honors formerly known as the Awards of Distinction and the two new awards added this year. More details will be shared once finalized.

This year's honorees are listed below.

University Distinguished Professor Award
Kenneth Johns | Professor, Department of Physics

The University Distinguished Professor awards were created in 1995 by President Manuel Pacheco to recognize faculty members who have a long-term commitment to undergraduate education and have made outstanding contributions at the University of Arizona. In addition to the title of University Distinguished Professor, the award carries a $5,000 increase to base salary.

University Distinguished Outreach Faculty Award
Paul Meléndez | Professor of Practice, Department of Management and Organizations
Beverly Seckinger | Professor, School of Theatre, Film and Television

The University Distinguished Outreach Faculty awards recognize outstanding faculty whose scholarship-based outreach to the state, nation and the world has demonstrated sustained excellence in the University's outreach mission. In addition to the title of University Distinguished Outreach Faculty, the award carries a $5,000 increase to base salary.

Distinguished Scholar Award
Daniel Martinez | Associate Professor, School of Sociology
Rebecca Mosher | Associate Professor, School of Plant Sciences
Weigang Wang | Associate Professor, Department of Physics

The Distinguished Scholar Award recognizes outstanding midcareer faculty members for innovations in their disciplines and contributions to teaching, research and outreach at the University. The award includes a $10,000 prize.

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The awards below, plus the Distinguished Scholar Award, were previously recognized as Awards of Distinction.

The Margaret M. Briehl and Dennis T. Ray Five Star Faculty Award
Martha Bhattacharya | Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience

The Five Star Faculty Award, established in 1983, is the only Universitywide teaching award whose honoree is chosen by undergraduates. Each year, a committee of students reviews nominations and interviews finalists before selecting a winner. The award includes a $2,000 prize.

Henry and Phyllis Koffler Prize in Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity
Ana Cornide | Associate Professor of Practice, Department of Spanish and Portuguese

This award, made possible by donations from late President Emeritus Henry Koffler and his wife, Phyllis, recognizes outstanding accomplishments in three categories: teaching; research, scholarship and creative activity; and public service and outreach. The award is given in only one category each year. This year's award is for public service/outreach. The award comes with a $10,000 prize, a medallion and certificate.

Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award
Koenraad Van Doorslaer | Assistant Professor, School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences

This award recognizes a faculty member who provides exceptional mentoring to postdoctoral scholars. The award includes a $1,000 prize and a plaque.

University of Arizona Foundation Leicester and Kathryn Sherrill Creative Teaching Award
Liudmila Klimanova | Assistant Professor, Department of Russian and Slavic Studies

This award, presented by the University of Arizona Foundation, recognizes excellence in the art of teaching at all levels, with particular emphasis on the undergraduate level. The award includes a $2,500 prize and a plaque placed in the Donna Swaim Honors Lounge in the Student Union Memorial Center.

Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar Award
Erik Blackwood | Postdoctoral Research Associate, Translational Cardiovascular Research Center
Emily Bray | Postdoctoral Researcher, Arizona Canine Cognition Center

This award recognizes a postdoctoral scholar who demonstrates excellence in research, communication and leadership. The award includes a $1,000 prize and a plaque.

Early Career Scholars Award
Ashley Dixon | Assistant Agent, Gila County Cooperative Extension
David Enard | Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Molly Gebrian | Assistant Professor, Fred Fox School of Music
Thomas Gianetti | Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Tammi Walker | Associate Professor, James E. Rogers College of Law

This award recognizes early-career faculty members at the forefront of their disciplines for highly valued contributions to teaching, creative activity and service. The award includes a $5,000 prize.

Gerald J. Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence
Lisa Dollinger | Associate Professor of Practice, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Suzanne Dovi | Associate Professor, School of Government and Public Policy
Dean Papajohn | Professor of Practice, Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Mechanics
Hank Stratton | Assistant Professor, School of Theatre, Film and Television
Na Zuo | Assistant Professor of Practice, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics

This award recognizes excellence in undergraduate teaching. It was created through a gift from the Thomas R. Brown Foundation in honor of Gerald J. Swanson, professor emeritus of economics. The award includes a $5,000 prize.

Graduate and Professional Education Teaching and Mentoring Awards
Sheilah Nicholas | Professor, Department of Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies
Stephanie Troutman Robbins | Department Head and Associate Professor, Department of Gender and Women's Studies

These awards honor faculty members who excel in their teaching and mentoring of graduate students. The award includes a $2,500 prize.

The awards below are new this year.

University Distinguished Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards
Thomas Gianetti | Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (Early Career)
Jeffrey Pyun | Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

The University Distinguished Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards recognize individuals who have made exceptional contributions at the University by demonstrating significant impact in any aspect of research, commercialization or education through innovation and/or entrepreneurship.

Distinguished Head/Director's Award
John Galgiani | Director, Valley Fever Center for Excellence
Karen Seat | Head, Department of Religious Studies and Classics

The Distinguished Head/Director's Award recognizes outstanding performance by an academic department head or director. Honorees receive a citation from the president and provost as well as a $1,000 prize.

Find previous honorees on the Faculty Awards & Honors website.