Arts & Sciences recently announced the 2025 Distinguished Faculty Award recipients, who will be celebrated at a reception in September. Each recipient made exceptional contributions to the university through service, leadership, or teaching. Congratulations to all the awardees!
Faculty Leadership Award
The Faculty Leadership Award in Arts & Sciences is awarded to an outstanding faculty member in recognition of their exceptional service to the university. The award was established to recognize Arts & Sciences' long history of outstanding faculty leaders who have shaped the university, from developing educational programs and policy to serving on committees and in administration.
T.R. Kidder, the Edward S. and Tedi Macias Professor
Excellence in Teaching Award
The Excellence in Teaching Award in Arts & Sciences was established to honor and publicly recognize an outstanding faculty member for his or her exceptional teaching. Arts & Sciences has a long history of distinguished educators and innovative teaching that enriches the lives of undergraduate and graduate students, and the establishment of this award is a tribute to this tradition.
Gabi Kirilloff, assistant professor of English
Jia Luo, senior lecturer in chemistry
David Hadas Teaching Award
The David Hadas Teaching Award in Arts & Sciences was established in 2008 by Pamela W. Hadas to honor and publicly recognize an outstanding tenured faculty member in Arts & Sciences who demonstrates commitment and excellence in teaching first-year undergraduate students.
Jonathan Losos, the William H. Danforth Distinguished University Professor
First-Year Programs Teaching Award
The First-Year Programs Teaching Award in Arts & Sciences recognizes pedagogical innovation in teaching first-year students through First-Year Program course offerings (including Ampersand Programs, First-Year Seminars, and First-Year Opportunity courses). The award was established to recognize the value of bringing first-year students into the university community through programs that promote and actively engage students in learning about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Katherine Kerschen, lecturer in German, for her first-year seminar "Global Population on the Move: Language & Resettlement with Legal, Healthcare, & Education Systems"
Dean’s Award for Diversity Advancement
This annual award recognizes contributions from Arts & Sciences faculty who advance diversity in research, teaching, or service. This award highlights transformative research, teaching, or creative practice that significantly advances and promotes diversity on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, neurological ability, socioeconomic status, age, nationality, or sexual identity. Contributions might include research that has driven a change in the nominee’s field of study, teaching or mentoring that significantly benefits underrepresented groups, or service that improves campus culture in ways that advance diversity and inclusion.
Seanna Leath, associate professor of psychological and brain sciences (title effective July 1, 2025)
Dean's Early-Career Research Award
This award recognizes outstanding achievements in research and creative activity by scholars who have recently been awarded tenure. The recipient was selected in consultation with the Arts & Sciences Promotion and Tenure Committee after reviewing tenure cases in the current year.
Bronwen Konecky, associate professor of Earth, environmental, and planetary sciences (title effective July 1, 2025)
Dean's Mid-Career Research Award
The Dean’s Mid-Career Research Award recognizes outstanding achievements in research and creative activity by scholars who have recently been promoted to the rank of professor. The recipient was selected in consultation with the Arts & Sciences Promotion and Tenure Committee after reviewing tenure cases in the current year.
Erik Henriksen, professor of physics (title effective July 1, 2025)
Outstanding Teaching Awards
The Dean's Outstanding Teaching Award recognizes exceptional achievements in teaching and creative activity by teaching-track scholars who have recently been promoted. The recipients were selected in consultation with the Arts & Sciences Promotion and Tenure Committee after reviewing promotion cases for the year.
Anthony Smith, senior lecturer in biology (title effective July 1, 2025)
Matthew Shipe, teaching professor in English (title effective July 1, 2025)
Dean's Strategic Partnership Award
Arts & Sciences only achieves its goals with the help of many people across the university, in other schools, and in the central administration. This new award recognizes a university leader outside of Arts & Sciences who has been an invaluable partner and colleague to our school.
