Faculty Recognized for Achievements at Awards Recognition Ceremony
Thu, 05/25/2017 - 11:24am
University of Southern Mississippi faculty members were honored for achievements in teaching, research, service and leadership at the annual Faculty Awards Recognition Ceremony, held May 5 at the Trent Lott Center on the Hattiesburg campus. The event was sponsored by USM's Office of the Provost and Faculty Senate.
Faculty members and their awards/recognition include the following:
*Higher Education Appreciation Day-Working for Academic Excellence (HEADWAE) - Dr. Jiu Ding, Mathematics.
*Nina Bell Suggs Endowed Professorship (2016-17) – Dr. Allison Abra, History; Dr. Matthew Casey, History; Dr. Song Guo, Chemistry and Biochemistry; Dr. Donald Sacco, Psychology.
*USM nominee, IHL Diversity Award for Excellence – Dr. Mohamed Elasri, Biological Sciences.
*University Excellence Awards – Tisha Zelner, Excellence in Service; Dr. Mac Alford, Excellence in Teaching.
*Grand Marshal – Dr. David R. Davies, Mass Communication and Journalism.
*USM nominees, National Endowment for the Humanities Award – Dr. Matthew Casey History, Dr. Andrew Ross, History.
*Faculty Senate Junior Faculty Awards – Dr. Alexandra Valint, English (Teaching);
Allen Chen, Psychology (Creative Activity); Dr. Donald Sacco, Psychology (Faculty
Research).
*Aubrey Keith and Ella Ginn Lucas Endowment for Faculty Excellence Awards – Dr. Dan
Capper, Religion; Dr. Matthew Casey, History; Dr. Westley Follett, History; Dr. Joshua
Haynes, History; Dr. Mark Huff, Psychology; Dr. Shalid Karim, Biological Sciences;
Dr. Lucas Keefer, Psychology; Dr. Webb Parker, Music; Dr. Ann Blankenship, Educational
Research and Administration; Dr. Jonathon Pluskota, Mass Communication and Journalism;
Dr. Stephanie Smith, Psychology; Dr. Timothy Tesh, Music; Dr. Kimberly Ward, Speech
and Hearing Sciences; Dr. Matthew Ward, Anthropology and Sociology; Dr. Fei Xue, Mass
Communication and Journalism.
*Summer Grants for Improvement of Instruction – Dr. Hugh Broome, Chemistry and Biochemistry; Dr. Max Grivno and Dr. Jill Abney, History; Dr. James Lambers, Mathematics; Cynthia Littlejohn and Melissa Gutierrez, Biological Sciences; Dr. Andrew Ross, History; Dr. Jeremy Scott, Physics and Astronomy; Dr. Katie Smith, Anthropology and Sociology; and Dr. Alan Thompson, Criminal Justice.
*Association for College and University Educators (ACUE) Faculty Development Institute Certificate in Active Learning – Dr. Cindy Blackwell, Mass Communication and Journalism; Dr. Ann Blankenship, Educational Research and Administration; Dr. Hugh Broome, Chemistry and Biochemistry; Dr. Nick Ciraldo, Music; Dr. Mike Davis, Biological Sciences; Haley Dozier, doctoral student, Mathematics; Dr. Mary Funk, Interdisciplinary Studies; Dr. Max Grivno, History; Melissa Gutierrez, Biological Sciences; Linda Hanson, Chemistry and Biochemistry; Dr. Katie James, Anthropology and Sociology; Dr. Sungsoo Kim, Economic Development, Tourism and Sport Management; Cynthia Littlejohn, Biological Sciences; Dr. Courtney Luckhardt, History; Candice Mitchell, graduate student, Mathematics; Marlene Naquin, Mathematics; Dr. Rebecca Newton, Nursing; Dr. Jennifer Osborne, Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education; Dr. Jonathon Pluskota, Mass Communication and Journalism; Dr. Jennifer Regan, Biological Sciences; Renee Rupp, Nutrition and Food Systems; Dr, Gregory Smith, Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education; Dr. Katie Smith, Anthropology and Sociology; Corwin Stanford, Mathematics; Dr. Steven Stelk, Finance, Real Estate and Business Law; Dr. Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong, Marketing and Merchandising; Dr. Zhu Huiqing, Mathematics; Melissa Ziegler, Kinesiology.
*Innovation in Online Teaching Award – Dr. James T. Fox, Educational Research and Administration.
*University Research Council Innovation Awards – Dr. Donald Sacco, Psychology, Basic Research Award; Dr. Philip Bates, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Applied Research Award; Mark Rigsby, Art and Design; Creative Activities Award; Dr. Robson Storey, Polymers and High Performance Materials, Academic Partnership Award; Dr. Vijay Rangachari Chemistry and Biochemistry, Multidisciplinary Award; Dr. Marie Danforth, Anthropology and Sociology, Research Advocate Award; Khem Raj Budachetri, Biological Sciences, Graduate Student Award.
USM Faculty Senate Resolutions announced at the ceremony included those honoring recently deceased faculty members Dr. Stan Kuczaj, Psychology; Dr. Ed Nissan, Economics; and Dolly Loyd, Marketing.