University awards honor more than 70 faculty and staff

More than 70 Iowa State faculty and staff will be recognized this fall for winning one of the university's annual awards, which include a new category honoring interdisciplinary team research. 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.

Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering

  • Duane Johnson, F. Wendell Miller Professor of Energy Sciences in materials science and engineering

Distinguished Professor in Liberal Arts and Sciences

  • Dean Adams, professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology

  • Carolyn Cutrona, associate dean, Graduate College, and professor of psychology

  • Reuben Peters, Roy J. Carver Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

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.

  • Claire Andreasen, Dr. Roger and Marilyn Mahr Professor in One Health in veterinary pathology

  • Michael Golemo, professor of music

  • Daniel Loy, professor of animal science and director of the Iowa Beef Center

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.

  • Locke Karriker, Dr. Douglas and Ann Gustafson Professor for Teaching Excellence in Veterinary Medicine in veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine

  • Charles Kostelnick, professor of English

  • Steven Lonergan, professor of animal science

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.

  • Michael Bailey, professor of history

  • Lynn Clark, professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology

  • Heather Greenlee, professor of biomedical sciences

  • Donna Niday, associate professor of English

  • Steven Whitham, professor of plant pathology and microbiology

Regents Award for Staff Excellence

The award is presented by the state Board of Regents to recognize members of either the professional and scientific or merit staffs who are outstanding university citizens and have rendered significant service to the university or the state of Iowa.

  • Beth Doran, beef program specialist, ISU Extension and Outreach

  • April Franksain, secretary, civil, construction and environmental engineering

  • Lesya Hassall, instructional technology specialist, Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

  • Kristen Obbink, public health veterinarian, Center for Food Security and Public Health

  • Jerry Zamzow, associate vice president for research

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.

  • Elaine Phompheng, student services specialist, agricultural and biosystems engineering

  • Valentina Salotti, associate dean for academic affairs, College of Business, and associate professor of finance 

International Service Award

The award recognizes a faculty member for outstanding international service in teaching, research or administration within the United States or abroad.

  • Ann Marie Fiore, University Professor of apparel, events and hospitality

Outstanding Achievement in Teaching

The award recognizes a faculty member for outstanding teaching performance over an extended period of time.

  • Michael Bootsma, associate teaching professor of accounting

  • Erin Wilgenbusch, associate teaching professor, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication

  • Louis Thompson Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching designation: Jonathan Tsou, associate professor of philosophy

Early Achievement in Teaching

The award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding teaching performance unusually early in their career.

  • Cason Murphy, assistant professor of theatre

  • Mohamed Selim, assistant teaching professor of electrical and computer engineering

  • Melissa Tropf, clinical assistant professor of veterinary clinical sciences

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.

  • Kate Padgett Walsh, associate professor of philosophy

  • Shenglan Zhang, associate professor of world languages and cultures

Margaret Ellen White Graduate Faculty Award

Established by a longtime staff member of the Graduate College, the award recognizes superior performance by a member of the graduate faculty in enriching the student-professor relationship and enabling students to finish their work in a timely and scholarly manner.

  • Thomas Holme, Morrill Professor of chemistry

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.

  • Frank Krennrich, chair of physics and astronomy

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.

  • Li-Shan Chou, chair of kinesiology

  • Amanda Fales-Williams, Tyrone D. Artz, M.D. Chair for Teaching Excellence in Veterinary Medicine in veterinary pathology

  • Volker Hegelheimer, chair of English

Academic Advising Impact

The award recognizes outstanding performance by an academic advisor over an extended period of time.

  • Jennifer Bundy, assistant professor of animal science

  • Alyssa Mittleider, academic advisor, mechanical engineering

Early Achievement in Academic Advising

The award recognizes outstanding performance by an academic advisor early in their career.

  • Kelsey Powell, academic advisor, animal science

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.

  • John Levis, Angela B. Pavitt Professor in English

  • Thomas Lubberstedt, K.J. Frey Chair in Agronomy

  • Christian Meissner, professor of psychology

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.

  • Phillip Gauger, associate professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine

  • Laura Jarboe, Cargill Professor in Chemical Engineering

  • Michelle Soupir, professor of agricultural and biosystems 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.

  • Robbyn Anand, assistant professor of chemistry

  • Nigel Reuel, assistant professor of chemical and biological 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.

  • Data Sciences for the Public Good (Todd Abraham, assistant director of data and analytics, Iowa Integrated Data System; Cassandra Dorius, associate professor of human development and family studies; Shawn Dorius, associate professor of sociology; Heike Hofmann, professor of statistics; Jim Reecy, associate vice president for research; Christopher Seeger, professor of landscape architecture; and Adisak Sukul, associate teaching professor of computer science)

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.

  • Maro Ibarburu-Blanc, research scientist, animal science

Achievement in Intellectual Property

The award recognizes individuals or teams of faculty or professional and scientific staff for outstanding university-based achievements in producing intellectual property.

  • Nigel Reuel, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering

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.

  • America's Small Business Development Center at Iowa State (Dave Biedenbach, Sheri Benson, Stacy Dreyer, Ethan Pitt, Alicia Smith, Jan Owens Bruene, Austin Strawhacker, Jenica Johnson and Brianna Hall)

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.

  • Jessica Bell, research administrator, Grants Hub

  • Sunghwan Kim, research scientist, Institute for Transportation

  • Eric Schares, librarian, University Library

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.

  • Peter Lelonek, research administrator, office of the vice president for research

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.

  • Hanna Bates, program specialist, Water Resources Research Institute

  • Paul Kremer, research manager, civil, construction and environmental engineering

  • Kathleen Ross, research scientist, Nanovaccine Institute

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.

  • Daniel Loy, professor of animal science and director of the Iowa Beef Center

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.

  • J. Gordon Arbuckle, professor of sociology

  • Matthew Wenger, program specialist, animal science

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.

  • Eric Christianson, community and economic development specialist, ISU Extension and Outreach

  • Yuko Sato, assistant professor of veterinary and diagnostic production animal medicine

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.

  • Barbara Woods, special projects manager, Human Sciences extension and outreach