More than 60 Iowa State faculty and staff will be recognized this fall for winning one of the university's annual awards. Following is the list of the employees and the promotions or awards for which they will be recognized.
Distinguished Professor
The title of Distinguished Professor, first awarded in 1956, is Iowa State's highest academic honor. It recognizes a faculty member whose accomplishments in research or creative activities have had a significant impact on their discipline nationally or internationally and who has demonstrated outstanding performance in at least one other area of faculty responsibility. Nominees must hold the rank of professor and have served at least five years on the Iowa State faculty. The awardee retains the title for the remainder of their career at the university.
- Diane Bassham, professor of genetics, development and cell biology
- Lance Baumgard, professor of animal science
- Douglas Gentile, professor of psychology
- Sri Sritharan, Wilkinson Chair of Interdisciplinary Engineering and assistant dean, College of Engineering
- Xinwei Wang, professor of mechanical engineering
University Professor
The title of University Professor is awarded to a faculty member who has acted as a change agent by making significant contributions to improve the university and who has demonstrated outstanding performance in at least one other area of faculty responsibility. Nominees must hold the rank of professor and have served at least 10 years on the Iowa State faculty. The awardee retains the title for the remainder of their career at the university.
- Tunde Adeleke, professor of history
- Elisabeth Lonergan, professor of animal science
Morrill Professor
The title of Morrill Professor is conferred on a faculty member who has exhibited excellence in undergraduate or graduate teaching or extension and outreach programs and who has demonstrated outstanding performance in at least one other area of faculty responsibility. Nominees must hold the rank of professor and have served at least five years on the Iowa State faculty. The awardee retains the title for the remainder of their career at the university.
- Steve Butler, Barbara J. Janson Professor of Mathematics
- Amanda Fales-Williams, professor and Tyrone D. Artz, M.D. Chair for Teaching Excellence, veterinary pathology
- Kevin Schalinske, professor of food science and human nutrition
- Jonathan Sturm, professor of music and theatre
Regents Award for Faculty Excellence
The award is presented by the state Board of Regents to recognize tenured faculty members who are outstanding university citizens and have rendered significant service to the university or the state of Iowa.
- Julie Dickerson, David C. Nicholas Professor of electrical and computer engineering
- Margaret LaWare, associate professor of English
- Sergio Lence, Marlin Cole Professor of International Agricultural Economics
- Linda Niehm, professor of apparel, events and hospitality management
- Brett Sponseller, associate professor of veterinary microbiology and preventive medicine
Regents Award for Staff Excellence
The award is presented by the state Board of Regents to recognize professional and scientific or merit staff who are outstanding university citizens and have rendered significant service to the university or the state of Iowa.
- Monica Howard, assistant dean, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Wendy Stensland, manager, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab
Award for Inclusive Excellence
The award recognizes faculty, professional and scientific staff and merit staff who have advanced the university's mission of diversity, equity and inclusion beyond their usual job responsibilities.
- Kimberly Greder, professor of human development and family studies
- Mindy Heggen, academic advisor, mechanical engineering
International Service Award
The award recognizes a faculty member for outstanding international service in teaching, research or administration within the United States or abroad.
- Curtis Youngs, professor of animal science and Ensminger Endowed Chair of International Agriculture
Outstanding Achievement in Teaching
The award recognizes a faculty member for outstanding teaching performance over an extended period of time.
- Dirk Deam, teaching professor of political science
- Phillip Jones, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering
Early Achievement in Teaching
The award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding teaching performance unusually early in their career.
- Mirka Deza, assistant teaching professor of mechanical engineering
- Raluca Iancu, assistant professor of art and visual culture
- Ilker Karaca, assistant professor of practice of finance
- Tingting Liu, associate professor of finance and John and Connie Stafford Professor in Business
James Huntington Ellis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Introductory Teaching
Established by a 1928 Iowa State graduate, the award recognizes a faculty member for exceptional achievement in teaching introductory courses.
- Carlton Basmajian, associate professor of community and regional planning
- Emily Morgan, associate professor of art and visual culture
Departmental Leadership
The award recognizes a department chair or school director who has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities in advancing the faculty, staff, students and programs in their department.
- Chad Gasta, chair of world languages and cultures
Early Achievement in Departmental Leadership
The award recognizes the exceptional impact of a department chair or school director within the first three years of their leadership role.
- Hridesh Rajan, chair of computer science and Kingland Professor of Data Analytics or Cognitive Machine Learning
Academic Advising Impact
The award recognizes outstanding performance by an academic advisor over an extended period of time.
- Ben Chamberlain, student services specialist, agricultural education and studies
- Michael Wigton, associate teaching professor, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
Early Achievement in Academic Advising
The award recognizes outstanding performance by an academic advisor early in their career.
- Alissa Whitmore, academic advisor, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Outstanding Achievement in Research
The award recognizes a tenured faculty member who has a national or international reputation for contributions in research and/or creative activity.
- Jared Anderson, Alice Hudson Professor of chemistry
- Ratnesh Kumar, Palmer Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mid-Career Achievement in Research
The award recognizes a tenured or tenure-track faculty member who has demonstrated exemplary performance or scholarship in research and/or creative activity as documented by peers or experts in the field.
- Megan Gilligan, associate professor of human development and family studies
- Kirill Kovnir, professor of chemistry
- Simon Laflamme, professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering and Waldo W. Wegner Professor in Civil Engineering
Early Achievement in Research
The award recognizes a tenured or tenure-track faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in research and/or creative activity unusually early in their professional career.
- Walter Moss, associate professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology
- Peter Orth, associate professor of physics and astronomy
- Cristina Poleacovschi, assistant professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering
Interdisciplinary Team Research Award
The award recognizes an interdisciplinary team of two or more faculty researchers with outstanding achievements who have made a significant contribution to the university's research and scholarship mission through successful interdisciplinary collaborations.
C-CHANGE (Consortium for Cultivating Human And Naturally reGenerative Enterprises)
- Adam Janke, associate professor of natural resource ecology and management
- Omar de Kok-Mercado, program assistant, natural resource ecology and management
- Mark Mba-Wright, associate professor of mechanical engineering
- Marshall McDaniel, associate professor of agronomy
- Jarad Niemi, associate professor of statistics
- Lisa Schulte Moore, professor of natural resource ecology and management
- Dana Schweitzer, program specialist, natural resource ecology and management
Professional and Scientific Research Award
The award recognizes a professional and scientific staff member employed at Iowa State at least five years for excellence in research.
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Cajetan Nlebedim, scientist, Ames Laboratory
Achievement in Economic Development in Iowa
The award recognizes individuals or teams of faculty or professional and scientific staff for outstanding university-based achievements in advancing the state of Iowa's economic development.
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Raymond Hansen, director, Agricultural Marketing Resource Center
Achievement in Intellectual Property
The award recognizes individuals or teams of faculty and professional and scientific staff for outstanding university-based achievements in producing intellectual property.
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Robbyn Anand, associate professor and Carlyle G. Caldwell Endowed Chair in Chemistry
Professional and Scientific Excellence Award
The award recognizes contributions made by a professional and scientific staff member within and beyond the university and career progress demonstrated by accomplishments at Iowa State.
- Lisa Lund, manager of information technology support, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Jennifer Plagman-Galvin, senior manager of business administration, College of Human Sciences
- Kathryn Wieland, director of career services, Ivy College of Business
Carroll Ringgenberg Award
Named for a longtime staff member in purchasing and facilities, the award recognizes an extraordinary professional and scientific staff member who exhibits constant and contagious dedication to and goodwill for Iowa State.
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Michael Holtzbauer, meat laboratory manager, animal science
Professional and Scientific Outstanding New Professional Award
The award recognizes a professional and scientific staff member who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments unusually early in their professional career.
- Jordan Brooks, director of equity, inclusion and multicultural student success, College of Design
- Alisha Carroll, alumni relations specialist, civil, construction and environmental engineering
- Maya Hayslett, extension youth education specialist, plant pathology and microbiolog
Distinguished Service in Extension and Outreach
The highest award bestowed on an extension professional recognizes sustained distinguished performance and educational contributions to Iowa State's clientele through extension programs.
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Jill Weber, extension food and health education specialist, Human Sciences Extension and Outreach
Outstanding Achievement in Extension or Professional Practice
The award recognizes a faculty or staff member who has demonstrated outstanding performance in statewide leadership in extension or professional practice, and has achieved national recognition for outreach activities.
- Denise Schwab, extension agriculture education specialist, Iowa Beef Center
- Christopher Seeger, professor of landscape architecture, Community and Economic Development Extension and Outreach
Early Achievement in Extension or Professional Practice
The award recognizes a faculty or staff member who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in extension or professional practice unusually early in their career.
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Amy Powell, extension youth education specialist, animal science
R.K. Bliss Extension Award
Named for the director of Extension from 1912 to 1946, the award recognizes outstanding achievement of an extension staff member for developing an overall or continuing extension education program.
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Larry Tranel, extension agriculture education specialist, Extension and Outreach Dairy Team
