Academics

2015 Faculty/Staff Award recipients announced, lauded for achievements

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Each year, Penn State honors several members of its faculty and staff for the highest levels of academic excellence, outstanding leadership and meritorious service. The 2015 Faculty/Staff Award recipients — 33 outstanding University employees and one program — reach across campuses, colleges and administrative units and exemplify best practices and achievements among Penn Staters reflecting the University's mission of teaching, research and service.

The honorees will receive their awards at a private ceremony at noon Wednesday, April 15 at The Nittany Lion Inn.

Articles about this year's award recipients are linked below, listed below by award category.

Undergraduate Faculty Teaching Awards

The Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching: Robert Loeb, associate professor of biology and forestry, Penn State DuBois; and Dan Stearns, J. Franklin Styer Professor of Horticulture Botany, College of Agricultural Sciences

The George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching: Lisa Reeves Bertin, senior lecturer in information sciences and technology, Penn State Shenango; LuAnn Demi, senior instructor, Penn State DuBois; Michael J. Krajsa, instructor of management, Penn State Lehigh Valley; Jennelle L. Malcos, lecturer and academic adviser, Eberly College of Science; Irene J. Pertick, senior lecturer, College of Information Sciences and Technology; and Felisa del Carmen Preciado, clinical associate professor of supply chain management, Smeal College of Business;

The Alumni/Student Award for Excellence in Teaching (2015 Penn State Teaching Fellows): Jane C. Charlton, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, Eberly College of Science; Richard Doyle, Liberal Arts Research Professor of English, The College of the Liberal Arts; and Allen Larson, associate professor of communications, Penn State New Kensington

The Penn State Excellence in Advising Award:-- Faculty: Elizabeth M. Seymour, instructor of anthropology, communications, history and women’s studies, Division of Arts and Humanities, Penn State Altoona-- Staff: Margaret A. Sebastianelli, senior DUS programs coordinator and director of student services for College of Health and Human Development, Division of Undergraduate Studies and College of Health and Human Development

The President's Award for Excellence in Academic Integration: Jane C. Charlton, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, Eberly College of Science

The President's Award for Engagement with Students: Diane Zabel, Louis and Virginia Benzak Librarian and head librarian, University Libraries

The Undergraduate Program Leadership Award: Richard (Rich) A. Carlson, associate head and director of undergraduate studies and professor of psychology, The College of the Liberal Arts

Graduate Faculty Teaching Awards

The Howard B. Palmer Faculty Mentoring Award: Karen A. Thole, professor and department head of mechanical and nuclear engineering, College of Engineering

The Graduate Faculty Teaching Award: John Yen, professor of information sciences and technology, College of Information Sciences and Technology

The Graduate School Alumni Society Graduate Program Chair Leadership Award: Simon J. Bronner, graduate program coordinator and distinguished professor of American studies, Penn State Harrisburg

Faculty Scholar Medals:-- Arts and Humanities Medal: Robert C. D. Nairn, professor of music, College of Arts and Architecture-- Engineering Medal: Qiming Zhang, distinguished professor of electrical engineering and materials science and engineering, College of Engineering-- Life and Health Sciences Medal: Song Tan, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, Eberly College of Science-- Physical Sciences Medal: John V. Badding, professor of chemistry, Eberly College of Science-- Social and Behavioral Sciences Medal: Robert Turrisi, professor of biobehavioral health, College of Health and Human Development

Faculty and Staff Achievement Awards

The McKay Donkin Award: Jacqueline Edmondson, associate vice president and associate dean for undergraduate education, Undergraduate Education

The Award for Administrative Excellence: Sherry Yocum, director of the administrative core, Social Science Research Institute, Office of the Vice President for ResearchThe Staff Excellence Award: Patricia A. Yarian, administrative support coordinator, Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine

The Support Staff Award: Susan Seman, conflict of interest assistant, Office of Research Protections, Vice President for Research

The Barash Award for Human Service: James W. Dunn, professor of agricultural economics, College of Agricultural Sciences

The Dr. James Robinson Equal Opportunity Award: Danna Jayne M. Seballos, assistant director for the World in Conversation Center, College of the Liberal Arts

The W. LaMarr Kopp International Faculty and Staff Achievement Award:-- Faculty: Jacqueline S. McLaughlin, associate professor of biology and founding director of CHANCE, Office of the Director of Academic Affairs, Penn State Lehigh Valley-- Staff: Donna J. Howard, assistant director of international student support services and campus life and intercultural affairs, Penn State Harrisburg

The Penn State Award for Faculty Outreach: Laurie Grobman, professor of English and women’s studies, Penn State Berks

The Shirley Hendrick Award: Hampton N. Shirer, associate dean for education EMS, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

Community Engagement and Scholarship Award: Partners in Music, lead faculty: Robert Gardner, associate professor of music education, and Linda Thornton, associate professor of music education, College of Arts and Architecture

A full description of each of the Faculty/Staff Awards with contacts for further information is online at http://www.psu.edu/ur/awards/faculty.html.

Last Updated February 11, 2020