The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast has named the winners of the 2008-2009 Butch Oustalet Family Distinguished Professorship Awards for the areas of service, teaching and research.

Dr. Tim Morse, associate professor of special education, and Dr. Michael Mong, assistant professor of psychology are recipients of The Service Award for their collaborative efforts in the Southern Miss Autism Assessment Clinic, which serves as a resource addressing the needs of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder.

The clinic, developed by Morse and operated by Mong, is the only clinic in the state dedicated to this disability. Screening or assessing 47 individuals thus far, Morse and Mong have worked with three local school districts, conducted four statewide workshops, presented five parent trainings and worked to establish a partnership with Memorial Hospital at Gulfport.

Marlene Naquin, mathematics instructor in the College of Science and Technology, is the recipient of the Teaching Award for her commitment to student instruction. In addition to developing and directing the mathematics laboratory at Southern Miss Gulf Coast, Naquin advises math licensure students in their final semester.

Highly respected by her students, she is often praised for her ability to make math easier to comprehend and for fostering a classroom environment conducive to learning.

The Research Award is given to Dr. Shahdad Naghshpour, professor of political science, international development and international affairs, for his dedication and contributions to research.

Naghshpour published seven referred journal articles, four conference proceedings and one non-refereed journal article in 2008. In that same year, he also had five articles accepted for publication in refereed journals, three book chapters accepted and one book contract secured.

The Butch Oustalet Family Distinguished Professorship Awards were created to recognize Southern Miss Gulf Coast faculty who have demonstrated exemplary achievements in the areas service, teaching and research.

Each award winner will receive $1,000 and a plaque recognizing their achievement. The winners, selected by a six-member committee, were judged on submitted material supporting the specified area of distinction.

For more information on the Butch Oustalet Family Distinguished Professorship Awards, call 228.865.4573.

About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi, founded in 1910, is a comprehensive doctoral and research-extensive university fulfilling its mission of being a leading university in engaging and empowering individuals to transform lives and communities. In a tradition of leadership for student development, Southern Miss is educating a 21st century work force providing intellectual capital, cultural enrichment and innovation to Mississippi and the world. Southern Miss is located in Hattiesburg, Miss., with an additional campus and teaching and research sites on the Mississippi Gulf Coast; further information is found at www.usm.edu/gulfcoast .