Faculty Awards
In the College of Arts and Sciences, our ultimate source of strength is the excellence and dedication of our students, faculty, and staff. Each fall semester the college collects nominations from faculty, staff, students, and alumni for annual awards that are presented in spring to one outstanding faculty member in each of the categories listed below.
Award recipients receive a plaque and funding for the purpose of promoting professional growth.
Outstanding Senior Faculty Award
Recognizes a tenured associate or full professor in the College of Arts and Sciences for outstanding achievement in the area of scholarship/creative activity with emphasis on the last three years at Georgia State University. Scholarship/creative activity is the primary focus of this award, but instruction and service are also considered. Scholarship/creative activity is evaluated in terms of quality appropriate to the particular discipline. Scholarship/creative activity includes, but is not limited to, refereed and invited publications; invited and contributed presentations and performances; outside funding for the support of scholarly/creative pursuits; exhibitions; inventions and patents; and published/copyrighted software. Faculty in all disciplines represented in the college are eligible for this award. Recipients of this award over the past five years are ineligible.
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award
Recognizes an assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences for outstanding achievement in the area of scholarship/creative activity while at Georgia State University. Scholarship/creative activity is the primary focus of this award, but instruction and service are also considered. Scholarship/creative activity is evaluated in terms of quality appropriate to the particular discipline. Scholarship/creative activity includes, but is not limited to, refereed and invited publications; invited and contributed presentations and performances; outside funding for the support of scholarly/creative pursuits; exhibitions; inventions and patents; and published/copyrighted software. Faculty in all disciplines represented in the college are eligible for this award. Previous recipients of this award are ineligible.
Outstanding Teaching Award
Recognizes a regular, full-time faculty member (including professors, associate professors, assistant professors, principal senior lecturers, senior lecturers, lecturers, senior academic professionals, academic professionals, clinical professors, and instructors) in the College of Arts and Sciences for outstanding achievement in the area of teaching with emphasis on the last three years. Teaching activities include, but are not limited to, performance as reflected on student evaluations; innovative teaching techniques; course and program development; authorship of textbooks, software, and other similar instructional materials; student accomplishments; direction of individual student work; teaching grants; and honors or awards for teaching. Included in the candidate’s dossier should be a one-page statement summarizing his/her instructional accomplishments, the last three years of student evaluations and other relevant materials. Faculty in all disciplines represented in the college are eligible for this award. Recipients of this award over the past five years are ineligible.
Outstanding Faculty Diversity Award
Recognizes a regular, full-time faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences for outstanding achievement in support of diverse student populations. Activities related to professional development, teaching, and service will be considered. Relevant professional development activities include, but are not limited to, scholarship that advances the understanding of diverse groups and mentoring of underrepresented and/or diverse groups. Relevant teaching activities include, but are not limited to, evidence of infusion of diversity into courses and curricular innovations, such as developing a study abroad program or other high impact experience. Service activities can be at the program, department/unit, college, or university level. Diversity is defined broadly, including multiple and intersecting identities (e.g., disability, family education and economic background, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation), as well as diversity of thought and worldview. Faculty in all disciplines represented in the college are eligible for this award. Recipients of this award over the past five years are ineligible.
Outstanding Undergraduate Director Award
Recognizes a regular, full-time faculty member in the position of Director of Undergraduate Studies at the department level within the College of Arts and Sciences for outstanding service to undergraduates in their department. Service may include, but is not limited to, proactive outreach and engagement of undergraduates in the department, departmental faculty development activities pertinent to undergraduate success, active involvement in the undergraduate council including attendance and committee service, departmental leadership in relation to college and university-level undergraduate initiatives, and other evidence of a proactive posture in relation to undergraduate student success in the department. Undergraduate directors may receive the award no more than once every five years.
Outstanding Graduate Director Award
Recognizes a regular, full-time faculty member in the position of Director of Graduate Studies at the department level within the College of Arts and Sciences for outstanding service to graduate students in their department. Service may include, but is not limited to, proactive outreach and engagement of graduate students in the department; development/implementation of new and innovative ideas that improve the graduate program and/or the graduate student experience; active involvement in the graduate council including attendance and committee service; departmental leadership in relation to college and university-level graduate initiatives; and effective communication with faculty, students and staff in relation to issues pertinent to the graduate program and/or the graduate student experience. Graduate directors may receive the award no more than once every five years.
Outstanding Undergraduate Mentoring Award
Recognizes a regular, full-time faculty member for outstanding achievement in the area of undergraduate mentoring at Georgia State University. Undergraduate mentoring may include, but is not limited to, refereed and invited publications co-authored with undergraduate students; direct mentoring of undergraduate students resulting in undergraduate juried exhibitions, recitals, film screenings and other public presentations and performances of arts and music; peer-reviewed academic and professional conference presentations; direct mentoring of undergraduate students resulting in regional and national competitive artistic, musical and academic awards; and direct mentoring of undergraduate students resulting in high-value post-baccalaureate opportunities; internship supervision; teaching directed reading and independent study courses; and supervision of honors theses and Honors College teaching. Current or former undergraduate directors having served within the past two years, as well as those having received the award in the previous five years, are ineligible.
Outstanding Graduate Mentoring Award
Recognizes a regular, full-time faculty member for outstanding achievement in the area of graduate mentoring at Georgia State University. Examples of outstanding graduate mentoring may include, but are not limited to, demonstrated excellence and innovation in fostering the intellectual, creative, scholarly and professional growth of graduate students; direct mentoring of graduate students resulting in student publications, external grant funding, conference presentations, and/or other professional development and networking opportunities; established record of implementing strategies to promote timely completion of students’ degree programs and to cultivate the necessary skills for professional success; promotion of a climate of respect and collegiality that enhances the graduate experience, integrates students into the culture of the discipline and increases the students’ chance of success; and active assistance to graduate students in career decision-making and advancement, including opportunities outside of the academy. Nominees must be members of the Graduate Faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences. Current or former graduate directors having served within the past two years, as well as those having received the award in the previous five years, are ineligible.
2020
Outstanding Senior Faculty Award: Louis A. Ruprecht, Jr., Anthropology
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Megan Connors, Physics & Astronomy
Outstanding Teaching Award: Jeannie Grussendorf, Political Science
Outstanding Faculty Diversity Award: Lakeyta Bonnette-Bailey, African-American Studies
Outstanding Undergraduate Mentoring Award: Tricia King, Psychology
Outstanding Graduate Mentoring Award: Angela Mabb, Neuroscience
Outstanding Undergraduate Director Award: Christy Visaggi, Geosciences
Outstanding Graduate Director Award: Christopher Kocela, English
2019
Outstanding Senior Faculty Award: Mark Stockman, Physics & Astronomy
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Tiffany King, Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies
Outstanding Teaching Award: Joe Normandin, Neuroscience
Outstanding Faculty Diversity Award: Gladys Francis, World Languages & Cultures
Outstanding Undergraduate Mentoring Award: Kyle Frantz, Neuroscience
Outstanding Graduate Mentoring Award: Charles Hankla, Political Science
Outstanding Undergraduate Director Award: Jung Ha Kim, Sociology
Outstanding Graduate Director Award: Lindsey Cohen, Psychology
2018
Outstanding Senior Faculty Award: Misty Bentz, Physics & Astronomy
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Maria Repnikova, Communication
Outstanding Teaching Award: Mindy Stombler, Sociology
Outstanding Faculty Diversity Award: Maria Elena Bermudez, World Languages & Cultures
Outstanding Undergraduate Mentoring Award: Todd Henry, Physics & Astronomy
Outstanding Graduate Mentoring Award: Erin Tone, Psychology
Outstanding Undergraduate Director Award: Jessica Parilla, Biology
Outstanding Graduate Director Award: Richard Laub, Heritage Preservation (History)
2017
Outstanding Senior Faculty Award: Randy Malamud, English
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Zhipeng Cai, Computer Science
Outstanding Teaching Award: S. Rashid Naim, Political Science
Outstanding Faculty Diversity Award: G. Davon Kennedy, Chemistry
Outstanding Undergraduate Mentoring Award: Paul Ulrich, Biology
Outstanding Graduate Mentoring Award: Daniel N. Cox, Neuroscience
Outstanding Undergraduate Director Award: Brian Thoms, Physics & Astronomy
Outstanding Graduate Director Award: Sarah Allen Gershon, Political Science
2016
Outstanding Senior Faculty Award: Lindsey Cohen, Psychology
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Nicola Sharratt, Anthropology
Outstanding Teaching Award: Carmen Eilertson, Biology
Outstanding Faculty Diversity Award: Kyle Frantz, Neuroscience and Biology
Outstanding Undergraduate Mentoring Award: Christy Visaggi, Geosciences
Outstanding Graduate Mentoring Award: Sarah Brosnan, Psychology and Philosophy
Outstanding Undergraduate Director Award: Cassandra White, Anthropology
Outstanding Graduate Director Award: Tim O’Keefe, Philosophy
2015
Outstanding Senior Faculty Award: Ritu Aneja, Biology
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: YouJin Kim, Applied Linguistics & ESL
Outstanding Teaching Award: Deanna Joseph, School of Music
Outstanding Faculty Diversity Award: Ciara Smalls-Glover, Psychology
2014
Outstanding Senior Faculty Award: Aimin Liu, Chemistry
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Misty Bentz, Physics & Astronomy
Outstanding Teaching Award: Kim Darnell, Psychology
2013
Outstanding Senior Faculty Award: Paul Katz, Neuroscience
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Donald Hamelberg, Chemistry
Outstanding Teaching Award: Eric Friginal, Applied Linguistics & English as a Second Language
Outstanding Faculty Diversity Award: Henry (Chip) Carey, Political Science
2012
Outstanding Senior Faculty Award: Mary Stuckey, Communication
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Sarah Brosnan, Psychology
Outstanding Teaching Award: Christopher Goode, Psychology
2011
Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award: Rose Sevcik, Psychology
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Daniel Deocampo, Geosciences
Outstanding Teaching Award: Hubert Stanley (Stan) Anderson, Art & Design
2010
Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award: Jennifer McCoy, Political Science
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Adia Harvey Wingfield, Sociology
Outstanding Teaching Award: Mindy Stombler, Sociology
2009
Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award: Unil Perera, Physics & Astronomy
Outstanding Teaching Award: Andrew Altman, Philosophy
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Amira Jarmakani, Women’s Studies
2008
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Laura Carruth, Biology
Outstanding Teaching Award: Beth Burmester, English
Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award: Zhen Huang, Chemistry
2007
Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award: Binghe Wang, Chemistry
Outstanding Teaching Award: W. Dwight Coleman, Music
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Kyle Frantz, Biology
2006
Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award: Timothy J. Bartness, Biology
Outstanding Teaching Award: Kathryn McClymond, Religious Studies
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Krystyn R. Moon, History
2005
Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award: Douglas R. Gies, Physics & Astronomy
Outstanding Teaching Award: Peter M. Lindsay, Political Science
Outstanding Junior Faculty Award: Michael Smith, Political Science
2004
Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award: David Myers, Music
Outstanding Teaching Award: Wayne Erickson, English
Outstanding Junior Faculty: John Kantner, Anthropology & Geography