Each year, faculty members recognize their colleagues in the Academic Senate for outstanding teaching, research and mentorship, impacts on their fields, and their dedication to diversity and scholarly public service. For the 2021-22 academic year, 18 faculty members are being honored.
In recognition of their accomplishments, each recipient will receive a framed certificate, and their names will all be engraved on plaques on display in the Senate Office. Each recipient also receives $1,000, except for the winner of the Excellence in Faculty Mentorship Award, who receives $2,500.
A second group of awards is given to faculty members and staff in recognition of their contributions to Shared Governance.
The Academic Senate is the group through which faculty members share in the governance, operation and management of the university. On various committees, Academic Senate members determine academic policy; set conditions for admission and degree-granting; authorize and supervise courses and curricula; and advise the administration on faculty personnel actions, academic space and resource allocation and budgets. The Senate also recognizes faculty members with awards and grants.
This year’s Academic Senate awards honor faculty from across the three schools:
- Dr. Fred Spiess Award for Distinguished Service to the Academic Senate: Professor Patti LiWang, School of Natural Sciences (SNS)
- Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching by a Non-Senate Faculty Member: Kristina Callaghan, SNS
- Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching by a Senate Faculty Member: Professor Elaine Denny, School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts (SSHA)
- Distinguished Graduate Teaching and Mentorship by a Senate Faculty Member: Professor Katrina Hoyer, SNS
- Distinguished Early Career Research (for non-tenured faculty): Professor Xuecai (Susan) Ge, SNS
- Distinction in Research (for tenured faculty): Professor Ashlie Martini, School of Engineering (SoE)
- Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award: Professor Edward Orozco Flores, SSHA
- Excellence in Faculty Mentorship Award: Professor Josh Viers, SoE
- Contributions to Diversity Award: Professor Maria Martin, SSHA
This year's recipients of awards for Contributions to Shared Governance:
- Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education Sarah Frey
- Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education Professor Chris Kello
- Undergraduate Council Chair Professor Holley Moyes
- Graduate Council Chair Professor Erin Hestir
- Senate Executive Director Fatima Paul
- Senate Principal Analyst Simrin Takhar
- Senate Analyst Melanie Snyder
- Senate Analyst Sang Lee
- Former Senate staff member Naoko Kada
