Penn State announces 2018 University-wide faculty and staff awards

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Each year, Penn State recognizes outstanding faculty and staff with annual awards in teaching and excellence. The invitation-only ceremony for the 2018 awards was Tuesday, April 3, at University Park.

For additional information on these University-wide awards, go to http://awardsrecognition.psu.edu/.

2018 faculty and staff awards

Undergraduate faculty teaching awards

• The Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching — Wendy Hanna-Rose, interim department head of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Eberly College of Science and Jyotsna (Josi) M. Kalavar, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State New Kensington
• The George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching — Fred Aebli, information sciences and technology program co-coordinator and lecturer at Penn State Worthington Scranton; Elaine S. Barry, associate professor of human development and family studies at Penn State Fayette; Mary Connerty, senior lecturer in English at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College; Dennis Decoteau, professor of horticulture and plant system health in the College of Agricultural Sciences; Fred Fonseca, associate professor of information sciences and technology in the College of Information Sciences and Technology; and Michael Janik, professor of chemical engineering in the College of Engineering
• The Penn State Teaching Fellows: The Penn State Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Teaching — Nichola D. Gutgold, professor of communication arts and sciences at Penn State Lehigh Valley; Charlotte Eubanks, associate professor of comparative literature and Japanese/Asian studies in the College of the Liberal Arts; and Anne Vardo-Zalik, associate professor of biology at Penn State York
• The Penn State Excellence in Advising Award — Rebekka Kuhn, academic adviser in the Division of Undergraduate Studies, and Brandi Robinson, faculty adviser for the Energy and Sustainability Policy program in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering
• The President’s Award for Excellence in Academic Integration — Andrew Read, Evan Pugh University Professor of Biology and Entomology in the Eberly College of Science and the College of Agricultural Sciences
• The President’s Award for Engagement with Students — Jennifer Parker, associate professor of sociology at Penn State Lehigh Valley
• The Undergraduate Program Leadership Award — Loukas Kalisperis, professor in the Department of Architecture in the College of Arts and Architecture
• The Howard B. Palmer Faculty Mentoring Award — Anne Whitney, professor of education in the College of Education
• The Graduate Faculty Teaching Award — David Mortensen, professor of weed and applied plant ecology in College of Agricultural Sciences
• The Graduate School Alumni Society Graduate Program Chair Leadership Award — Aleksandra Slavkovic, professor of statistics, associate dean for graduate education, and former associate head for graduate studies in the Eberly College of Science

Faculty Scholar Medals

• John M. Carroll, distinguished professor of information sciences and technology; Neil Christensen, professor of pathology, and microbiology and immunology; Bernhard Luscher, professor of biology, biochemistry and molecular biology; Sandra Spanier, liberal arts professor of English; Qing Wang, professor of materials science and engineering; and Fuqing Zhang, professor of meteorology and atmospheric sciences

Faculty and staff achievement awards

• The McKay Donkin Award — Sue Ellen Haug, professor of music and piano in the College of Arts and Architecture
• The Award for Administrative Excellence — Mary E. Andrew, financial officer for the College of Health and Human Development
• The Staff Excellence Award — Richel A. Perretti, contracts manager in the Department of Risk Management
• The Support Staff Award — Mary “Shelly” Drabik, administrative support assistant in the Department of Enrollment Services at Penn State York
• The Barash Award for Human Service — Krista Wilkinson, professor of communications science and disorders in the College of Health and Human Development 
• The Dr. James Robinson Equal Opportunity Award — Robert Loeb, professor of biology and forestry at Penn State DuBois
• The W. LaMarr Kopp International Faculty & Staff Achievement Award — Rachel Smith, associate head and professor of communication arts and sciences in the College of the Liberal Arts
• The Penn State Award for Faculty Outreach — Paul H. Patterson, professor of poultry science in the animal sciences department in College of Agricultural Sciences
• Outreach and Online Education Emerging Faculty Award for Engaged Scholarship — Kristen P. Goessling, assistant professor of human development and family studies at Penn State Brandywine
• The Shirley Hendrick Award — Brian C. Clark, director of the Office of Veterans Programs in Penn State Educational Equity
• The Penn State Community Engagement and Scholarship Award — The Penn State Berks Center for Service Learning and Community-Based Research, which is led by Laurie Grobman, professor of English and women’s studies
• The Teaching and Learning with Technology Impact Award — Ann C. Clements, associate professor of music education, professor-in-charge and graduate program chair for music education in the College of Arts and Architecture