Subodha
Kumar
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Year Awarded: 2016
Subodha Kumar, associate professor in the Department of Information and Operations Management, joined the faculty of the Mays Business School in 2009 after earning his PhD. from the University of Texas at Dallas. In his six years here, he has received three different teaching awards—the Montague-CTE Scholar Award, The Association of Former Students College-Level Award for Teaching, and the student-voted Teaching Excellence Award. His department head wrote that Dr. Kumar excels in all dimensions: excellent in research, excellent as a colleague, and excellent in teaching. In the past few years Dr. Kumar has taught the undergraduate Business Statistics core course, including the honors sections, and the MBA core course for Quantitative Methods. For both, his average course evaluation is 4.84 of a possible 5. Colleagues say the undergraduate statistics course can be difficult to teach because the students’ incoming level of knowledge and mathematical ability can vary widely. It is often a class that is loathed by students, regardless of the quality of the instructor. But, Dr. Kumar clearly has reversed that trend. He is innovative in the classroom and goes beyond the basic responsibility of teaching facts and formulas, providing a very comfortable leaning environment and exposing students to how statistics are used in the real world. One of his students said, “Prof. Kumar was awesome!! I don’t ever think I had a teacher that cared so much about his students.” Another commented, “I despise math, but INFO 303 has been my favorite math course. I think it helps that the material is presented in business terms & related to business applications.” An MBA student wrote, “He is essential in the MBA setting in my opinion.” And another MBA student put it succinctly, writing, “Just one word. Outstanding.”
College: Mays Business School
Award Level: Teaching
Jennifer
Mercieca
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Year Awarded: 2016
Jennifer Mercieca, associate professor in the Department of Communication, earned her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and joined the faculty of the College of Liberal Arts in 2003. She has taught 51 courses including graduate seminars, mass lecture undergraduate courses, and writing-intensive undergraduate courses. Her teaching record is outstanding. Her colleagues say that Dr. Mercieca’s exceptional dedication to her students is evident in her career-long commitment to high-impact teaching and in her work establishing the Texas A&M Agora, which provides opportunities for students throughout campus to learn political skills outside of the classroom. Dr. Mercieca has developed seven different high-impact undergraduate courses that merge theory with practice and enable students to solve real-world problems. Her students have gone out into the community to solve problems for local charities and to register voters. In addition, some of her students have written political campaign plans and served as speechwriters for their representatives in Congress. Under her direction, Aggie Agora has established engaged citizenship workshops and hosted guest lectures on political topics ranging from issues of civil liberties to food security. In short, she seeks to create a vibrant culture of learning both inside and outside of the classroom, enabling her students to be future leaders and problem solvers. A former student wrote, “I loved this class. It really made me aware of what is going on in the world today, and there are a lot changes that are needed.” Another student commented, “For the first time ever, I felt like an active citizen.” A former student, now a doctoral student in Georgia, wrote “Mercieca’s commitment to the success of her students, her ability to inspire her students intellectually, and the priority she places on mentorship continues to play an instrumental role in my life.”
College: College of Liberal Arts
Award Level: Teaching
Jeffrey
Musser
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Year Awarded: 2016
Jeffrey Musser, clinical professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, earned his D.V.M. from Virginia Tech and his Ph.D. in pharmacology from North Carolina State. He joined the faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2000. Dr. Musser teaches in the undergraduate, graduate, and professional curriculums and has been training the next generation of professionals and scientists for more than 15 years. The emphasis of his teaching and research is the development of the clinician scientist, which is undergraduate and professional students continuing on to graduate programs and research experiences. Dr. Musser teaches both here and abroad and was instrumental in the development of the Texas A&M University Costa Rica Biomedical Science Semester Abroad Program and the BIMS Germany Summer Abroad Program. He has developed many new undergraduate and professional/graduate courses, mentored more than 30 Texas A&M students in independent research projects, mentored international faculty in curriculum development and teaching skills, and been invited to serve as an external evaluator, examiner, and thesis reviewer at many international universities. Among his awards and honors, Dr. Musser has been a recipient of The Association of Former Students College-Level Teaching Award, the Montague-CTE Scholar Award, and the Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award. His nominator describes his teaching style as passionate, compassionate, personal, creative, animated and indefatigable. A former student describes him as an extraordinary professor who “ignites a passion for learning in his students that they were unaware they possessed.” Another former student describes him as a superior teacher who “instills in his students the knowledge and desire necessary to thrive in both the classroom and life.”
College: College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Award Level: Teaching
David
Peterson
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Year Awarded: 2016
Dave Peterson, professor of biochemistry and biophysics, earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from Harvard University. He joined the faculty of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 1981 after completing postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco. In addition to teaching and maintaining a successful research program, Dr. Peterson serves as the associate department head for undergraduate programs. In this role, he led efforts to revise the Biochemistry and Genetics curricula and obtain accreditation for the B.S. in biochemistry from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Texas A&M is now one of only 38 universities to receive this recognition of the quality and rigor of its undergraduate program. His nominator says that as a teacher and mentor, Dr. Peterson is phenomenally successful. He has received numerous teaching and mentoring awards at Texas A&M, including the Wells Fargo Honors Student Faculty Mentor Award (twice) and The Association of Former Students College-Level Teaching Award (twice). This year, he won national recognition by receiving the Excellence in Advising Award from the National Academic Advising Association. A former student now in medical school described Dr. Peterson as “an outstanding educator and a long-term mentor.” Another student wrote, “One of the first people I encountered at Texas A&M University was Dr. David Peterson.… My first impression of this obviously brilliant scientist was how kind and helpful he was to all the nervous and confused freshman.… He said the same thing on that first day as he has said in every class I have had with him: if one person has a question, others do as well, so do not be afraid to ask.… He also adds some fun to the lecture; in the biochemistry class, he told us his favorite movie is Love Potion #9 because the biochemist gets the girl.”
College: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Award Level: Teaching
David
Reed
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Year Awarded: 2016
After earning his Ph.D. from the Cornell University, Dave Reed joined the faculty of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 1978. He serves the college as professor of horticulture and as the associate dean for graduate programs and faculty development. His research primarily focuses on nutrition, especially iron nutrition, and the effects of water quality and salinity on greenhouse crops. However, his “first love” is teaching, and he teaches to a packed house of several hundred students each semester in his General Horticulture course. His nominators wrote that Dr. Reed stands out as a memorable professor who makes his courses appealing to all students, regardless of their major. When looking at numerous student evaluations over the past few years, they noted that frequent comments include “very enthusiastic,” “entertaining,” and “easy to understand.” One student summed up Dr. Reed’s passion and enthusiasm best in writing that he was a “wonderful, amazing professor who keeps you wanting to learn more.” Dr. Reed’s teaching methods have most definitely been noted by his peers and colleagues. He has been invited to give presentations to large audiences across the state and nation and he has won numerous awards, including The Association of Former Students College-Level and University-Level Awards for Teaching, the Southern Region of the American Society of Horticultural Sciences L.D. Ware Distinguished Teaching Award, and the National Outstanding Undergraduate Educator award from the American Society for Horticultural Sciences. His popularity with students is evident in that he has been a Fish Camp and T-Camp Namesake four times. His nominators concluded that students leave his HORT 201 class with a fundamental knowledge of horticulture that they will carry with them throughout their lives and probably smile when they reflect on the stories that he shared related to plants and to life.
College: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Award Level: Teaching
Ashley
Saunders '98
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Year Awarded: 2016
Ashley B. Saunders, associate professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, received her D.V.M. from Texas A&M University. After completing a one-year internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Tennessee and a three-year residency in veterinary cardiology at Texas A&M, she joined the faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2002. She teaches physiology, pharmacology, and small animal cardiology to first, second, and third-year veterinary students. She also teaches principles and techniques of cardiology to fourth-year veterinary students on their clinical rotations. Dr. Saunders has been recognized with the College’s Richard H. Davis Teaching Award and Bridges Teaching and Service Award, as well as The Association of Former Students College-Level Teaching Award and a Montague-CTE Scholar Award. Her research interests are cardiovascular imaging, interventional techniques, and novel teaching methods. Her enthusiasm and energy for teaching veterinary cardiology is focused around building the confidence of her students. She is relentlessly positive, supportive, and “can do” in her approach. When students work with Dr. Saunders they can feel her excitement and understand her commitment to them, which her nominator says communicates the powerful message that they can be successful. Here are two examples of comments from student evaluations. “The only negative thing I have to say about Dr. Saunders is that she does not fit in my pocket. She is a wonderful instructor.” And, “Dr. Saunders is one of the best teachers I have ever had! She explains things in a way that makes so much sense and she respects the students and their questions.” A colleague concluded her endorsement stating, “I am fortunate to have her as a colleague and collaborator, and our students benefit immensely from her teaching.”
College: College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Award Level: Teaching
Bala
Shetty
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Year Awarded: 2016
Bala Shetty, professor and holder of the Cullen Trust for Higher Education Chair and Interim Associate Dean for Graduate Programs in Mays Business School, earned his Ph.D. in operations research from Southern Methodist University (SMU). After holding faculty positions at SMU and the Madrid Business School in Spain, he joined the Texas A&M faculty in 1985. He subsequently has served twice as a research fellow at Princeton University and held a number of leadership roles within Mays Business School. Dr. Shetty’s research interests include supply chain management, optimization, and finance. He has published extensively in premier scholarly journals in business. Dr. Shetty has taught with distinction at both the graduate and undergraduate levels in multiple programs, including the BBA, Full-Time MBA, Professional MBA, Executive MBA, Ph.D., and in the Center for Executive Development.
He is the recipient of The Association of Former Students College-Level Teaching Award, multiple Outstanding Faculty Awards, the Alpha Kappa Psi Undergraduate Teaching Award, and the Mays Business School Distinguished Achievement in Research Award. His teaching motto is “to deliver the very best educational experience the students can possibly receive anywhere in the country,” and his goal for the classroom is “strengthening the analytical problem-solving skills of business leaders.” His students praise him as an “incredibly gifted professor. Passionate about teaching and leadership development,” and “Very engaging.” A colleague credits him with “the outstanding preparation and insights that he gives our students.”
College: Mays Business School
Award Level: Teaching
Camilla
Sturdivant '85
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Year Awarded: 2016
Camilla “Camy” Sturdivant is the associate director of the Department of Biology’s Lower Division Instruction Program (BLDP). She joined the Texas A&M staff in 1989 and the Department of Biology in 2005. She earned a B.S. in animal science from Texas A&M University. As associate director of the BLDP, she has primary responsibility for all aspects of the direct administration, coordination, and functioning of the five different 100-level and two 200-level biology courses. She directly supervises the BLDP technical and office staff and has administrative responsibility for more than 100 teaching staff, ranging from teaching assistants to full professors. The expectations of the associate director cover every aspect of a laboratory science teaching program that accommodates more than 5,000 students per year. Her nominators—the officers of the College of Science Dean’s Student Advisory Panel—wrote that no one epitomizes Texas A&M’s core values more than Ms. Sturdivant. They describe her as having a “kind and supportive demeanor and can-do attitude,” and being “positive, thorough, fair, respectful and selfless.” Her supervisor concurs and praised her ability to respond to and make accommodations for emergencies, including hurricanes (twice) and bomb threats (building closure and cancelled sections), and always doing her job with “personal dedication to the program,” “tireless efforts to improve all aspects of the program,” “sincere concern for the quality of instruction in our freshman and sophomore-level courses,” and “commitment to making the program efficient, effective and congenial for all students, faculty and staff.” Ms. Sturdivant’s previous honors include the Department of Biology Outstanding Staff Award, the College of Science Outstanding Staff Award, and the President’s Meritorious Staff Award.
College: College of Science
Award Level: Staff
Sharon
Wilkerson
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Year Awarded: 2016
Sharon Wilkerson came to Texas A&M in 2007 and is the founding dean of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Nursing. She received her R.N. from the Hermann Hospital School of Nursing, her B.S in psychology from the University of Houston, her B.S.N. from the University of Hawaii, her M.S. in pediatrics and nursing education from the University of Pennsylvania, and her Ph.D. in nursing of families from Wayne State University. She completed a postdoctoral clinical nurse scholar fellowship with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation at the University of Rochester. Before coming to Texas A&M, she was director of doctoral program development and a faculty member at the Purdue University School of Nursing. She has also served in various faculty positions at Indiana University, Wayne State University, University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Ottawa, Canada. She has worked in undergraduate and graduate nursing education for more than 30 years. It is her belief that nurses should be educated at the highest possible level, as this is paramount for advancing the field of nursing. Her nominators are students—the members of the 2015 Class Council. They describe her as “an exceptional administrator who has gone above-and-beyond in her service to students, the college and Texas A&M University. Dean Wilkerson oversaw the development and implementation of the nursing program and the establishment of the CON (College of Nursing) in 2008. She literally helped build the college from the ground up, she established a culture of service learning, she is helping to raise external funding to support students and faculty and she has set a high bar for the CON’s future.” Her supporters uniformly credit her administrative leadership for elevating the college, the university, and the nursing profession.
College: College of Nursing
Award Level: Administration
Robert "Jay"
Woodward '97
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Year Awarded: 2016
Jay Woodward, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, is a three-time graduate of Texas A&M University, holding a B.A. in psychology and both an M.S. and a Ph.D. in educational psychology. He joined the faculty of the College of Education and Human Development in 2005. Dr. Woodward leads instruction in several core curriculum classes at the undergraduate level along with his specialized courses at the graduate level. His nominator described Dr. Woodward’s strong commitment to students like this: “He views his role as one of helping students secure the futures they envision for themselves after graduation by facilitating their applications and acceptance into specialized programs and internships and fostering their research and writing skills through guided undergraduate fellowships.” In addition to teaching, Dr. Woodward serves as the faculty advisor for two student organizations: Educational Psychology Student Organization and Camp Keseme Advisory Board—an organization committed to supporting children through and beyond their parents’ cancer. Through these organizations, he has worked with students on marketing, fundraising, membership recruitment, and developing fun-filled activities. He also is the director of the Youth Adventure Program (YAP), a career-exploration program for middle school and high school students. Over the last five years, YAP has welcomed more than 1,200 students from 17 states and 6 foreign countries, many of whom have gone on to attend Texas A&M. Dr. Woodward not only has developed relationships with current Aggies but also with future Aggies! In recognition of his dedication to students, he has been honored as both a Fish Camp Namesake and a T-Camp Namesake. In sum, his nominator wrote, “Jay epitomizes what it means to be student-centered at this university.”
College: College of Education and Human Development
Award Level: Individual Student Relationships
Karen
Wooley
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Year Awarded: 2016
Karen Wooley is a University Distinguished Professor and holds the W. T. Doherty-Welch Chair in Chemistry, with joint appointments in the Departments of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering. She earned her Ph.D. in polymer/organic chemistry from Cornell University. Before joining the faculty of the College of Science in 2009, she served on the faculty of Washington University in St. Louis. Her research interests include degradable polymers derived from natural products, unique macromolecular architectures and complex polymer assemblies, and the design and development of well-defined nanostructured materials. The development of novel synthetic strategies, fundamental study of the materials’ properties, and their functional performance in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, as non-toxic anti-biofouling or antiicing coatings for the marine environment, as materials for microelectronics device applications, and as pollutant remediation systems are particular foci of her research activities. Her recent awards include the American Chemical Society Award in Polymer Chemistry, Royal Society of Chemistry Centenary Prize, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Honorary Fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society, Oesper Award, and Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Wooley served as an Editor for the Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry from 2003-2014, and she currently serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of the American Chemical Society. She directs a National Heart Lung and Blood Institute-supported Program of Excellence in Nanotechnology, and serves on advisory boards for several journals, universities, companies, and programs within the broader international scientific community. She is regarded as one of the most internationally influential and innovative organic polymer chemists in the world.]
College: College of Science
Award Level: Research
X. Ben
Wu
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Year Awarded: 2016
X. Ben Wu, professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management and Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence, earned his Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Tennessee and did postdoctoral research at The Ohio State University before joining the faculty of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 1995. He has taught more than 8,400 undergraduates in Fundamentals of Ecology. Dr. Wu is well known for his enthusiasm and genuine care for students, as well as his engaging approaches to teaching, including technology-mediated active learning and ecological inquiry projects that focus on understanding the process of science and developing critical thinking and communication skills. He has had more than 270 graduate students in his demanding yet very popular Landscape Analysis and Modeling course and is praised for his exceptional ability to make complex concepts and quantitative methods clear and relevant. His passion motivates students to learn. Dr. Wu is an internationally recognized expert in landscape ecology and has published 79 peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He has been recognized for his achievements with numerous awards, including the Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence award, the John Kincaid University Professor for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence award, The Association of Former Students College-Level Teaching Award, and the SEC Faculty Achievement Award. A current graduate student wrote, “Dr. Wu exemplifies superior teaching and excellence . . . . He inspires me to be curious and disciplined.” A former student wrote, “Dr. Ben Wu’s commitment to the learning process exemplifies the meaning of teaching in its highest sense.”
College: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Award Level: Teaching
Ahmed
Abdel-Wahab '03
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Year Awarded: 2015
Ahmed Abdel-Wahab is professor of chemical engineering and holder of the Itochu Professorship in Engineering at Texas A&M University at Qatar. He joined the Qatar faculty after earning his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in 2003. Dr. Abdel-Wahab is known as an absolutely inspirational teacher. His students laud his unique ability to clearly present challenging engineering concepts with spirited enthusiasm that makes learning a truly exciting and rewarding experience. He is also a visionary faculty member. Soon after the Qatar Campus initiated its Chemical Engineering Program, Dr. Abdel-Wahab recognized the need to include environmental issues in the curriculum and moved to develop the first environmental engineering course in 2007. Implementation of the Graduate Studies Program in 2010 provided an opportunity to sharpen focus on environmental education and Dr. Abdel-Wahab characteristically stepped up. Largely as a result of his vision and determination, Texas A&M has established one of the finest environmental programs in the Arabian Gulf Region. Dr. Abdel-Wahab is also known as an exceptional student mentor, advocate, and role model. He has a genuine interest in students’ well-being and helps them work through the challenges they face pursuing an engineering education. His caring and concern as a teacher and mentor are clearly described in his students’ own words, “He is one of us; humble character; available and open to all of our concerns and doubts; approachable personality; unmatched devotion to his students; genuine care for us; close to us as students; maintains a friendly relationship; very kind, loving, caring person; friendly nature; pervasive caring for his students; maintains a friendly attitude toward all students; gives positive encouragement.” Dr. Abdel-Wahab has contributed in a major way to the unqualified success of Texas A&M University at Qatar during its first 11 years of successful operation.
College: College of Engineering-TAMUQ
Award Level: Teaching
Yasser
Al-Hamidi
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Year Awarded: 2015
Yasser Al-Hamidi is a laboratory manager in the Mechanical Engineering Program at Texas A&M University at Qatar. Mr. Al-Hamidi began his career at there in 2007. He earned a Master of Science degree in Micro-Mechatronics and Microsystems from the University of Fanche Comte in France. He has previously held positions in laboratories in both higher education and private industry. His professional interests include precision and micro-mechatronic systems, combustion engine control, vibration suppression using input shaping control techniques, and real-time and networked control systems design. He recently won the branch campus Big Idea campaign—launched to promote and encourage innovation, creativity, and productivity—with a proposal to spread knowledge of 3-D printing and its likely impact. In addition, he is a recipient of STAR award to recognize him for his distinguished Service, Team spirit, Attitude and Responsibility. Mr. Al-Hamidi is a member and a former chair of the Staff Advisory Council. His nominators say that he not only manages the teaching labs, he also helps plan and develop experiments. His dean writes that “in addition to his commitment, initiative, innovation and professionalism, he has served in all of his activities as a superior role model and did so for many constituencies…TAMUQ faculty, staff and students…community members…and even high level officials. His calm, patient nature coupled with his knowledge and expertise have made only the most positive of impacts on those with who he interacts.” Another supporter comments that “he is an exemplary employee whose work demonstrates commitment to the Texas A&M University core values.…he leads initiatives that are beyond his job responsibilities to promote the university within the community, enrich the students’ educational experience, and support faculty members.”
College: College of Engineering-TAMUQ
Award Level: Staff
Deborah
Bell-Pedersen
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Year Awarded: 2015
Deborah Bell-Pedersen earned her Ph.D. at the State University of New York at Albany. Following postdoctoral work at Dartmouth Medical School, she joined the College of Science faculty in 1997. Her research investigates how the circadian clock regulates daily rhythms in behavior, physiology, and biochemistry. Defects of the human clock are associated sleep disorders, and for unknown reasons, epilepsy, cerebrovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, headaches, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Understanding how biological clocks function can lead to new ways to improve human health. Dr. Bell-Pedersen is well respected in her field. She has published more than 50 articles in top journals, garnering more than 5,900 citations, and she is frequently invited to present her work at scientific meetings and seminars across the country. Among her awards and honors, Dr. Bell-Pedersen has received the Jo Ann Treat Award for Excellence in Research and the Texas A&M Women Former Students’ Network Eminent Scholar Award. In 2014, she was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Microbiology. A colleague writes, “…the results of her research efforts have added substantially to the basic body of knowledge of how clocks drive an organism, and she is already making sure that these findings can be used to improve the quality of life.… Deb stands out as a distinguished researcher.” A department head at another university writes, “Dr. Bell-Pedersen has made significant research contributions to the filamentous fungal and clock research communities and is a highly-respected leader in these fields.… She is on a steep upward trajectory and we will continue to see her accomplish great things in the future.” Another colleague sums up, “Simply stated she’s among the best there is…in the field of circadian rhythms, in the entire world.”
College: College of Science
Award Level: Research
Oral
Capps
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Year Awarded: 2015
Oral Capps, Jr., Regents Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics, earned his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech. After stints teaching at Virginia Tech and the University of Minnesota, he joined the faculty of the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences in 1986. He is nationally recognized for his scholarship in demand analysis, econometric modeling, and forecasting methodology with large data sets. But, the students in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences recognize him as one of the best teachers at Texas A&M University. As a leader in agricultural economics, Dr. Capps works closely with professional organizations in the food-producing industries. The major upside of all these connections is his ability to bring real world scenarios to the classroom and show students the most current industry developments. Dr. Capps has been a master teacher and superb mentor to undergraduate and graduate students during his almost 30 years at Texas A&M. He has taught more than 90 sections in 7 subject matter areas to approximately 6,000 students! Most students are familiar with Dr. Capps as the teacher for Introductory Agricultural Economics. He volunteered to teach this large course because he understands how critical the course is to freshmen students. His passion for the course led him to write an Introduction to Agricultural Economics textbook, which is now in its sixth edition. In the classroom, Dr. Capps brings lecture material to life, helping students to remember and apply the concepts discussed. A supporter says students leaving Dr. Capps’ class possess “knowledge they can leverage in their future careers and lives.” His nominators sum up, saying that an excellent teacher brings out the best in students. Dr. Capps cares about them as individuals, their learning, and their future success. He is an “amazing teacher and true friend of the students.”
College: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Award Level: Teaching
James C.
Cathey '91
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Year Awarded: 2015
James Cathey earned his Ph.D. from Texas Tech University. Chief among his many roles is extension wildlife specialist for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service—a role he fulfills as associate professor and associate department head in the Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences. He joined the department in 2002 and AgriLife Extension in 2005. He has authored 68 publication and fostered development of many social media outlets. He provides expertise to Texas landowners, agricultural producers, and county extension agents in 71 counties, often about grassland restoration, northern bobwhite, wild pigs, Rio Grande wild turkey, and urban deer. He is a member of the Wildlife Society and past president of the Texas chapter. He has been Texas Wildlife Association director since 2008 and serves as an instructor for education events in its Conservation Legacy program. Dr. Cathey provides leadership to the Texas Master Naturalists program, which has received several national and state awards. His technical articles have been recognized by the Texas Section of the Society of Range Management and the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society, while his teamwork earned the 2014 national extension “Working Differently in Extension” award for achievements of the Feral Hogg Community of Practice. His nominator says Dr. Cathey is “energetic, personable, highly motivated, and committed to excellence,” and an “exemplary extension educator with exceptional mastery of wildlife science, outstanding communication skills, extraordinary productivity, resilient team leadership, and commitment to outreach education.” A supporter credits his leadership for the success of the state’s award-winning “rainwater harvesting task force.” Another supporter concludes, “…the impact of his vision, innovative strategies, and accomplishments is seen now and will continue in the years to come from the next generation of landowners and natural resource professionals he has prepared and empowered to ‘carry the torch.’”
College: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Award Level: Extension, Outreach, Continuing Ed, & Prof Dev
Darren L.
DePoy
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Year Awarded: 2015
Darren DePoy is an astronomer and holder of the endowed Rachal/Mitchell/Heep Professorship in Physics in the Department of Physics & Astronomy. He also serves as deputy director of the Munnerlyn Astronomical Laboratory. He joined the faculty of the College of Science in 2008. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii. Dr. DePoy is a world leader in the development of astronomical instrumentation for ground-based telescopes. Before coming to Texas A&M he was the director of Astronomical Instrumentation at The Ohio State University. While there, he was project scientist for the Dark Energy Survey camera—the world’s largest digital camera—that is now working in Chile. Although it is common for astronomers who are experts in instrumentation to not do science along with instrumentation development, Dr. DePoy actively uses the instruments he builds. His main field of work has been the study of active galactic nuclei fueled by the enormous black holes, and the discovery of exoplanets using “microlensing,” the rapid brightening and fading of a distant star by a foreground object. He is also involved with other initiatives, including the Giant Magellan Telescope. His leadership in astronomical instrumentation has positioned Texas A&M as a premiere institution in astronomical instrumentation. His international impact is expressed by a few quotes from colleagues. “Darren’s contributions to astronomical research…have expanded the frontier of astronomical observations,” “His work has enabled, or aided, the research of hundreds of professional research astronomers world-wide,” and “By training the next generation of instrumentalists DePoy is making a contribution to the future of astronomy that will endure.” His nominator sums up, saying, “We were incredibly fortunate to bring Prof. DePoy to Texas A&M.”
College: College of Science
Award Level: Research
Sue C
Geller
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Year Awarded: 2015
Sue Geller earned her Ph.D. from Cornell University. She has been on the faculty of Texas A&M for 33 years, serving as a professor of mathematics in the College of Science with a joint appointment in the Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. She has published research on both abstract algebra and on biostatistics. Dr. Geller has had a transformative effect on the pedagogical mission of the Department of Mathematics. She founded the department’s undergraduate honors program—one of the first such programs on campus—and has served for many years as its director. Her extensive and effective work with honors students was recognized in 2012 by the University Honors Program, which presented her the Director’s Award for Outstanding Service to Honors Programs. She also helped create a specialized track of the Master’s degree program in mathematics intended for prospective teachers. Her exemplary record of innovative teaching and effective mentoring was recognized in 2014 by the Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America. Here are some comments from her former students. “I just got a job as an accountant at the school administration office in my hometown. I believe the skills I learned in your class played a huge role in helping me secure the job.” “Dr. Geller possesses several qualities that set her apart as an outstanding supporter of students… [She] strove to foster students’ learning outside of coursework. …Dr. Geller still stands out as one of the most influential and inspiring people I have met. I visited her fairly recently, and true to form, her office was filled with students. Even in that visit, she offered me advice and guidance for my academic career.”
College: College of Science
Award Level: Individual Student Relationships
Eleanor M.
Green
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Year Awarded: 2015
Eleanor Myers Green has held the Carl B. King deanship of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences since 2009. She is the first woman to serve as dean in the college’s nearly one hundred year history. Dr. Green is a board certified specialist in both large animal and equine practice as a Diplomate of both the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. After receiving her BS degree in Animal Science from the University of Florida, Dr. Greened earned her DVM from Auburn University (1 of 3 women in her graduating class of 100). She has served as the first woman president of three national organizations: the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians, and the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Her nominator says that “Dean Green’s administrative record at TAMU is one of sustained leadership and service.… She has brought about positive, enduring change to our college, as well as to the university and her profession. …Quite simply, we are a different place than we were six years ago. We are more enthusiastic, optimistic, and successful.” Her supporters endorse her as “a person of great integrity and compassion, and a visionary leader among her peers.” “There is no one better at listening to the needs and wants of others than Dr. Green. She is an amazing facilitator and consensus builder.” “The culture of Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science has changed, and is well on a path to even more progressive change.” “…She has a wholesome, heartfelt, and effective concern for her students and colleagues. She genuinely cares for them; their well-being is her top priority. I can think of no higher tribute to be paid to an educator and/or administrator.”
College: College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Award Level: Administration
Donna J.
Hajash
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Year Awarded: 2015
Donna Hajash, instructional associate professor in the Department of Visualization in the College of Architecture, earned her master’s from Siena Heights University. She has been employed by Texas A&M University since fall 1983, when she was hired as a graphic designer in a publication design office on campus. In fall 1984, she was hired as a lecturer in the Department of Journalism to teach the only course in graphic design. This was a lecture/lab course in which 60 students were enrolled each semester. When the Department of Journalism was eliminated, she was hired by the architecture department to teach graphic design. Later she moved to the visualization department as part of the ARTS program. She now teaches Graphic Design 1, 2, and 3 as well as a Senior Graphic Design Studio. She is the advisor to the student group of AIGA, the Professional Association for Design, which she formed at Texas A&M in 2007. She is also the Visualization Department’s Study Abroad coordinator for the Santa Chiara, Italy, program, advising students and preparing them for their semester abroad. Endorsements from her former students demonstrate Ms. Hajash’s impact on students. “I cannot say enough good things about Professor Hajash. As a professor, she is one of the most amazing I have ever had. There is not a day that goes by where I am not reminded of what I learned from her.” “Donna is more than simply a professor—she is a mentor, friend and inspiration to many of her students. She has a true passion for what she does and commits time and energy above and beyond what is expected of her.” “Had it not been for those formative design courses taught by Donna at A&M, I would never have fallen in love with design and been willing to pursue my current career path.”
College: College of Architecture
Award Level: Individual Student Relationships
John C.
Keyser
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Year Awarded: 2015
John Keyser, professor and associate head for academics in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, joined the faculty of the Dwight Look College of Engineering after earning his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2000. His nominators say that he is an outstanding and gifted teacher, a brilliant researcher, and an individual who is committed to serving his profession and the students of Texas A&M. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in computer graphics, including the required undergraduate courses, Programming Studio and Analysis of Algorithms, and seminar courses. His department head credits him as a key contributor to the wholesale revision of the department’s undergraduate curriculum. She says he came up with the big picture of how the courses could fit together, providing greater flexibility and preparing students for internships, earlier; both of which helped improve retention. Dr. Keyser generously contributes time to students outside the classroom. He coached the student programming team that won first place in the south-central U.S. region in 2004 and competed in the international finals in 2005. He also served as the advisor for the Texas Aggie Game Developers, the advisor for the Texas A&M Computing Society, and coordinator for the department’s high school contests. Dr. Keyser is a devoted research mentor to both undergraduate and graduate students. He has graduated 9 Ph.D. students and 11 master’s students, as well as mentoring 4 undergraduate students in research. Dr. Keyser consistently receives glowing feedback from his teaching evaluations and his students credit him with helping them build successful careers. One former student writes that, even years after graduation, he still seeks Dr. Keyser’s advice. “Am I still his student? Not in the traditional sense, but I still value his opinion greatly. And he continues to teach me things. Does all this make Dr. Keyser a great teacher? It does to me.”
College: College of Engineering
Award Level: Teaching
Michael R.
Kinney
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Year Awarded: 2015
Michael Kinney is an associate professor and KPMG Faculty Fellow in the Department of Accounting in the Mays Business School. He began his career at Texas A&M after earning a Ph.D. at the University of Arizona. He has received several college and departmental teaching awards and has been a Price Waterhouse Teaching Excellence Professor. Over his career, he has taught courses at all program levels spanning multiple content areas. But for the past eight years, he has been teaching exclusively in the Mays MBA programs in College Station and Houston and also playing a substantial role as subject matter expert in the required capstone projects undertaken by all MBA students. In addition, since 2007, he has served as coordinator of the Ph.D. program in accounting. Because students in the Executive and Professional MBA programs are full-time employees and the program is taught in Houston, faculty mentoring is particularly important. His nominator explains that Dr. Kinney is always willing to spend an extraordinary amount of time outside of class to help his students develop academically and personally. “He aspires to establish a personal relationship with each one” even though he usually teaches more than 150 MBA students and approximately 20 Ph.D. students each year. Following up, a colleague comments that Mike Kinney is the perfect balance of encouragement and truth for his students, “unafraid to confront when necessary, but always urging them on to greater things.” In conclusion, his nominator says, “He is a very important asset to our MBA and Ph.D. students and I am confident that he will continue to make significant contributions to our students and programs throughout his career.”
College: Mays Business School
Award Level: Graduate Mentoring
Nancy L.
Klein
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Year Awarded: 2015
Nancy Louise Klein is associate professor in the Department of Architecture. She earned her Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr College and taught at Indiana University and the University of Missouri at Columbia before joining the faculty of the College of Architecture in 2006. Dr. Klein’s courses in architectural history change the way students see the world, introducing them to cultural context, design, and technology in a global setting. Her nominators say she is truly an outstanding teacher, who draws on her passion, knowledge, and expertise, providing students with tools for building knowledge while seeking a deeper understanding of the world. Despite teaching large lecture classes, she is able to engage her students in reading and understanding the language of architecture. And, she consistently receives high marks on her student evaluations (4.7 or better out of 5), which is particularly notable considering the rigor of her courses and the number of large section courses she teaches. One of her former students writes, “Her passion inspired me to continue learning about how architecture can shape the human experience…. Every class lecture is another adventure into the ancient world.” A former graduate student says Dr. Klein “helped us to find ways to relate the history of thousands of years ago to current events, and more personally to our own interests and current architectural design projects.” Her colleagues in the College of Architecture also hold Dr. Klein in high esteem, both as a scholar and as a teacher with an extraordinary reputation in the classroom, commenting that her advanced undergraduate classes and graduate seminars allow students to develop skill sets that are essential for any career, such as the ability to communicate effectively in writing and speech and to always have a critical approach to knowledge.
College: College of Architecture
Award Level: Teaching
Arvind
Mahajan
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Year Awarded: 2015
Arvind Mahajan, Regents Professor and the Lamar Savings Professor of Finance in the Mays Business School, earned his Ph.D. from Georgia State University and joined the Texas A&M University faculty in 1980. He is known as a pioneer in international business education. His nominator says, “Simply stated, Arvind Mahajan is one of the best teachers I know. He has consistently excelled in educating our students at all levels.” Course evaluations, testimonials from peers, former and current students, and business executives, as well as the innovative teaching materials he has developed establish beyond a doubt that Dr. Mahajan is a demanding, deeply caring, and highly effective teacher. Supporters say that he affects students on multiple dimensions and his life mission is to broaden his students’ horizons, deepen their understanding, and help them succeed. And he has been doing this successfully at Texas A&M for 35 years! Over his career he has developed countless new courses, “internationalized” Aggies by taking them on Study Abroad expeditions, cultivated thousands of minds, and helped many students become successful scholars, executives, lawyers, and business professionals. While Dr. Mahajan motivates his students to do their best, he also demands the best from himself. A former student writes, “I would notice that Dr. Mahajan’s light was still on as I left the West Campus Library after a late night of studying. He was no doubt helping a student…or continuing his own research.” His nominator concludes, not much has changed since that student graduated; Dr. Mahajan’s light still remains on and students are always welcome.
College: Mays Business School
Award Level: Teaching
Sandra
Maldonado
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Year Awarded: 2015
Sandra Maldonado, a 17-year veteran staff member at Texas A&M University, is the business administrator for the Department of Communication in the College of Liberal Arts. She previously worked in similar capacities for the College of Medicine and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. She is the recipient of the College of Liberal Arts Superior Service Award, the President’s Meritorious Service Award, and a College of Liberal Arts Staff Professional Development Grant. She holds an associate’s degree in business administration from Blinn College and is continuing her studies as a part-time student at Sam Houston State University. Her strengths include mentoring and developing other staff members, helping them appreciate the important roles they play in the success of higher education. In that, she serves as an excellent role model and mentor. Her positive attitude, patience, and strong work ethic are shared as staff are developed and promoted into leadership roles within the university. Her nominator says that she is the most talented, dedicated, and innovative staff member that he has worked with over his career. He says, “What separates her from other staff members…is the combination of her being a high performer and the demonstrated impact she has had on the lives of the people who work with her, both within our academic department and beyond.” She achieves her consistent and high level of performance by paying attention to the details of the job and going beyond what is expected. Her colleagues credit her with creating a supportive departmental climate and always exhibiting grace under pressure. In difficult circumstances, she has consistently demonstrated a pattern of stepping up and being a calming influence in the middle of a storm. A faculty member in the department concludes, “I cannot imagine where the department would be without her faithful service over the years.”
College: College of Liberal Arts
Award Level: Staff
Stjepan G.
Mes?trovic´
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Year Awarded: 2015
Stjepan G. Meštrovic earned his Ph.D. from Syracuse University and taught at Lander College before joining the faculty of the College of Liberal Arts in 1991. He is well known for his work on social theory, culture and war crimes. He has served as an expert witness at The Hague for the International Court of the Tribunal for Yugoslavia, at courts martial pertaining to abuse at Abu Ghraib, and at multiple other courts martial and clemency hearings. He is the author or editor of 18 books as well as more than 70 articles, chapters, or essays. He has garnered numerous awards and honors for his research. But, along with his incredibly productive research record, Dr. Meštrovic has always been known for his inspiring teaching. His quantitative teaching evaluations are always among the very highest in the Department of Sociology, and his students often remark that he has inspired and transformed their thinking. His nominator says that a large part of what makes Dr. Meštrovic such an effective teacher is his ability to explain incredibly complex issues and analyze them in ways that do not completely overwhelm his students. In addition, he is well known for taking time to talk to students both inside and outside of class. A current student credits Dr. Meštrovic with changing his whole outlook on his college experience, writing, “I became far more interested in school when I found a professor that actually taught through conversation and application as opposed to a professor that simply talked at me. I found a professor that left me constantly thinking about theory and its true application.” A graduate student summarizes, “He has repeatedly modeled the type of professor that I would like to be one day; compassionate but not a pushover, humorous yet serious about education and about fostering a love of learning—esteemed yet humble.”
College: College of Liberal Arts
Award Level: Teaching
James D.
Pennington
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Year Awarded: 2015
After earning his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, Jim Pennington joined the faculty of the College of Science in 1998. His primary responsibility and professional passion is teaching three sections of sophomore organic chemistry for non-majors each semester. He says being able to interact with and influence these future doctors, dentists, veterinarians, and engineers at a critical time in their intellectual development is a blessing and incredibly rewarding. Among his colleagues and students, he has earned a reputation as an energetic, enthusiastic, challenging, and rigorous instructor who holds his students to the highest standards while doing everything in his power to help them succeed. He holds multiple office hours most days and an evening help session once a week. For his devotion, his students honored him as a Fish Camp Namesake. Dr. Pennington also enjoys motivating others to enjoy and learn about sciences in his role as the coordinator and chief presenter for the Texas A&M Chemistry Road Show, one of the premier outreach programs of the university. The Chemistry Road Show is a K-12 program that is presented 50 to 60 times per year at schools and to other organizations throughout Texas, reaching about 10,000 students annually. Many of these students are motivated to pursue careers in science—perhaps at Texas A&M. Serving as coordinator of the Roadshow has an added bonus for Dr. Pennington because he has the opportunity to work closely with and mentor 20 or so Aggies who participate as assistant demonstrators, putting them on a path to involvement in service and community outreach. A former student writes, “Dr. Pennington renewed my love for science and gave me the motivation to continue pursuing my goal of becoming a physician.… I am now in medical school…and without a doubt, he is the most helpful and encouraging professor I have had during my academic career.”
College: College of Science
Award Level: Teaching
Shawn
Ramsey '90
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Year Awarded: 2015
Shawn Ramsey, associate professor and assistant head for undergraduate programs in the Department of Animal Science, joined the faculty of the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences upon completing his Ph.D. at New Mexico State University. For the past 18 years, his teaching has touched the lives of more than 10,000 Aggies. By the numbers, Dr. Ramsey teaches close to 700 students each long semester and receives average course evaluation scores of 4.8 or above on a 5.0 scale. However, the real success of his teaching goes well beyond these statistics. A former student in one of his largest classes—typically 350 students—stated, “I felt like he was talking directly to me. Despite the 349 other students in that class, Dr. Ramsey always had a way of making me, and every other student, feel important, feel respected, and feel valued.” Another student stated, “He is the epitome of encouragement and motivation, and he went above and beyond to prepare me to achieve my goals.” Dr. Ramsey is known for his efforts to get to know each student, to learn about their specific interests, and then to introduce them to other students with similar backgrounds or interests. In addition to classroom teaching, Dr. Ramsey coaches the undergraduate wool and mohair judging team. He teaches them not only how to evaluate wool, he also teaches them how to succeed outside their comfort zones. Not surprisingly, he has coached four national champion and eight intercollegiate champion teams. Dr. Ramsey’s accomplishments do not stop with his classroom teaching or coaching a judging team. He also leads one of the largest study abroad programs to New Zealand and conducts the annual Aggieland Lamb and Goat Camp for junior high and high school students during summer. His nominator sums up, saying that Dr. Ramsey is unquestionably one of the most outstanding teachers in the college, the university, and the nation.
College: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Award Level: Teaching
Dorothy E.
Shippen
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Year Awarded: 2015
Dorothy Shippen joined the faculty in Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences in 1991 after earning a Ph.D. in biology at the University of Alabama and completing postdoctoral fellowships at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, San Francisco. She established the plant Arabidopsis thaliana as a model for understanding the structure and function of telomeres, which are the “caps” on the ends of chromosomes. She has received numerous awards, including the Texas A&M Faculty Fellow award, the AgriLife Research Senior Faculty Fellow award, the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research, and The Association of Former Students’ Distinguished Achievement Award for Research. These accomplishments would not have been possible without her dedication to mentoring graduate students. She has mentored 23 graduate students, and 17 have earned their doctorates so far. Fifteen of these students continued their research careers as postdoctoral fellows. Dr. Shippen is one of the most successful graduate mentors in the department: on average, her Ph.D. students publish 4.5 papers (twice the departmental average) and graduate in 5.7 years (one year less than the departmental average). Recognizing that successful graduate students need more than scientific mentoring, Dr. Shippen developed courses and workshops on building lab management skills. Uniformly, her graduate students praise her mentorship, declaring that she treated them as colleagues, both respecting their ideas and placing high expectations on them. One former student writes, “The most important value I acquired from Dorothy is perseverance.” Another says, “She always listens and considers every idea, and truly celebrates and cheers every success.” Still another adds, “…there is always some part of our spirit that stays in Dorothy’s lab. …I believe this is due to Dorothy’s personal charm, her charitable mentorship, friendship, encouragement, and inspiration.”
College: College of Science
Award Level: Graduate Mentoring