Edward
Fry
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Year Awarded: 2012
Ed Fry is the George P. Mitchell Professor of Physics and Associate Head for Development in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Science. He was Department Head for almost ten years. He has been employed in the department for 42.5 years. Dr. Fry is a recognized international leader in the foundations of quantum mechanics, in experimental laser physics, and in studies of light scattering phenomena. He is the author of more than 100 publications and has a long record of external funding. He is an excellent research mentor; 19 students have received the Ph.D. under his supervision. He is a Fellow of both the American Physical Society and the Optical Society of America. He was awarded the EG&G medal of the Society for Optical and Quantum Electronics and received the Distinguished Scientist Award from the Texas A&M chapter of the Society of Sigma Xi.
As Department Head, Dr. Fry led a major resurgence of the department—dramatic increases in the number of faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and endowed chairs, as well as a new Physics building and the establishment of a new Astronomy program. His accomplishments are nothing short of exceptional. He played a major role in hiring two senior Nobel Prize winners and several leading faculty members in Astronomy. Overall, the department hired 25 tenured/tenure track faculty members during his term as Department Head. In addition, graduate enrollment increased by about 50 percent and external research funding increased by 81 percent. The number of endowed chairs increased from 2 to 12.
Ed Fry is recognized among administrators for his enthusiasm and tenacity, which have played a major role in his noteworthy successes. In short, he changed the culture in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in ways that simply do not appear in other departments.
College: Science
Award Level: Administration
Barbara
Gastel
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Year Awarded: 2012
Barbara Gastel has been a faculty member at Texas A&M for 22 years, currently serving as a faculty member in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Specializing in biomedical writing and editing, she coordinates the master’s program in science and technology journalism. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Yale and M.D. and master of public health degrees from The Johns Hopkins University, she completed an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) mass media fellowship at Newsweek. She then worked at the National Institutes of Health, taught science writing at MIT, and spent two years as a visiting professor at Peking University Health Science Center.
Dr. Gastel is contributing in a unique and extraordinary capacity to national and international outreach and professional development in science communication. She does so by writing textbooks in wide circulation, articles that help working scientists practice science communication, presenting workshops at professional meetings, and training graduate students for careers in science writing. More importantly, she has pioneered programs that teach science writing and editing to researchers and medical professionals not only in the United States but also in China, Mexico, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Ghana, and other developing nations. Her work has increased the ability of scientists around the world to share their research with each other across language barriers and to communicate science effectively to the public.
Dr. Gastel has accomplished more in the realm of science editing than nearly any other person. As such, she was recognized by the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences as an Honored Editor in the Life Sciences. This award is given to individuals who have distinguished themselves in the field. Only three other individuals have received this award since its establishment 17 years ago.
College: Veterinary Medicine
Award Level: Extension, Outreach, Continuing Education, and Pro
R. Duane
Ireland
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Year Awarded: 2012
Duane Ireland joined the faculty of Texas A&M’s Mays Business School in July 2005 and holds the Conn Chair in New Ventures Leadership. He earned his Ph.D. from Texas Tech University. He has authored or co-authored more than 20 books and published more than 90 articles in journals, such as the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Executive, Strategic Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, Decision Sciences, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practices, and the Journal of Business Venturing.
Dr. Ireland is one of the premier scholarly contributors in strategy, entrepreneurship, and management. In fact, his research has been instrumental in creating the field of strategic entrepreneurship. Through his research, he has highlighted the crucial relationships between privatization, globalization, and corporate entrepreneurship and spurred the launch of a new journal dedicated to the study of these topics, the Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal.
He is the Vice-President Elect and Program Chair of the Academy of Management, a world-wide association with close to 20,000 members. Previously, he served as a member of the Academy’s Board of Governors, as a member of its Executive Committee, and as Secretary of its Business Policy and Strategy Division. He recently completed service as the Editor of the Academy of Management Journal and also has served as an Associate Editor for Academy of Management Journal and for the Academy of Management Executive and as a Consulting Editor for Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice.
He is a Fellow of the Academy of Management, a Fellow of the Strategic Management Society, a Research Fellow in the Global Entrepreneurship Consortium, and a Falcone Fellow in Entrepreneurship. He has been a frequently invited participant for doctoral and new faculty consortia for the Business Policy and Strategy and Entrepreneurship Divisions of the Academy of Management.
College: Mays Business School
Award Level: Research
Timothy
Jacobs
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Year Awarded: 2012
Timothy Jacobs earned his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 2005 and joined the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the Dwight Look College of Engineering in September 2006. His teaching interests include thermodynamics, internal combustion engines, and experimental methods. He is currently involved in a major redesign of the content and structure for the first course on thermodynamics that will improve students’ understanding of entropy and available energy.
Dr. Jacobs is the recipient of numerous teaching and research awards, including the Montague/CTE Scholars Award, the John Weese Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Texas A&M Chapter of Pi Tau Sigma, the Peggy L. and Charles L. Brittan Teaching Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching, and the Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award from SAE International.
Dr. Jacob’s effectiveness as a teacher is driven by the three pillars of his teaching philosophy: clear, organized lectures that forge a professional atmosphere between educator and students; linking concepts and applications that enable career-long retention; and modeling techniques and strategies for learning that help students become life-long learners.
In testament to his dedication, one of his students writes, “He is the most organized, well-spoken, knowledgeable, and personable professors I have come in contact with thus far at A&M. His teaching methods are beyond what any student will expect and the structure of our class was unbeatable. He is truly a wonderful professor who is very concerned with his students learning the materials.” Another student writes, “Excellent professor, always open to questions and deeply cares that his students are learning and enjoying the material. I feel like I learned and retained the most than from any course I have taken.”
His nominator concludes that he is looking forward to Dr. Jacobs’ continued development as an educator and a scholar.
College: Engineering
Award Level: Teaching
Yue
Kuo
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Year Awarded: 2012
Yue Kuo joined the faculty of the Department of Chemical Engineering in the Dwight Look College of Engineering in 1998. He is the Dow Professor of Chemical Engineering and holds joint appointments in the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering. Dr. Kuo earned a doctorate in engineering science from Columbia University in 1979. Before coming to Texas A&M he served in industry for nearly 20 years.
Dr. Kuo's research concentrates on nano and microelectronics with special interests in semiconductor materials, processes, and devices as well as thin films and plasma technology. In his thin film nano and microelectronics research laboratory, he develops new materials, novel processes, and advanced devices with the ultimate goal of creating high-performance, highly reliable, manufacturable devices for current and future applications. The results of his research are published in technical papers, proceedings, and patents. Many of his publications are credited as being among the most downloaded, editor selected, poster awarded, or news media quoted papers. His technical contributions have been recognized with numerous awards and honors, such as the Electrochemical Society’s Electronics and Photonics Division award and IBM awards. He is a Fellow of the Electrochemical Society and the IEEE Electron Devices Society.
As a leader in the worldwide thin film transistor and related solid-state community, Dr. Kuo has been very active in the Electrochemical Society and other professional organizations for 25 years. In addition he has been involved in organizing or chairing 70 international conferences. He is a much sought after speaker who has delivered nearly 130 keynote, plenary, and invited speeches to audiences at international conferences, universities and research and development centers around the world.
College: Engineering
Award Level: Research
Kerry
Litzenberg
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Year Awarded: 2012
Kerry Litzenberg joined the faculty of Texas A&M’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 1979 after earning a Ph.D. from Purdue University. During his tenure at Texas A&M, he has taught more than 10,000 students and has received numerous teaching awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Association of Agricultural Economics and the national teaching award from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association. His love of teaching has led him to present to university, national, and international groups and to publish several journal articles about the scholarship of teaching.
A colleague comments that over the years he has had numerous opportunities to observe and participate in classroom sessions with Dr. Litzenberg. He says that three aspects of Dr. Litzenberg’s teaching stand out. First, he uses an interactive approach, encouraging students to participate, question and debate the concepts presented. Second the concepts are presented and explained in a true-to-life context that facilitates understanding and retention. And, third, and most importantly, he provides a high level of out-of-class support to facilitate student learning.
A student writes that Dr. Litzenberg conveys his dedication and enthusiasm in all that he does. He is always willing to help, whether explaining information related to a homework assignment or speaking at leadership forum for students. The student describes Dr. Litzenberg as one of the most giving professors at Texas A&M, who wants his students to succeed in his class and to succeed in their professional careers. "He truly cares for us.” His nominator concludes that a great teacher truly cares about students and demonstrates that care daily. Dr. Litzenberg demands his students' personal best, stimulates their curiosity and sets the stage for lifelong learning. “He epitomizes excellence in teaching.”
College: Agriculture and Life Sciences
Award Level: Teaching
Debra
Maceo
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Year Awarded: 2012
Debra Maceo joined the faculty of Texas A&M University at Galveston in 1994 as a part-time lecturer for the physical education program. When she was recruited, the initial thought was that she could offer kinesiology electives, such as aerobics and dance that would be more appealing to young women. After 15 years, it’s safe to say that hiring Mrs. Maceo was a decision that changed the culture of TAMUG for the better.
Her warm and welcoming personality as well as impressive teaching ability allowed her to bond with the students. And her passion for dance quickly ignited a passion for the fine arts and artistic expression that had been fairly dormant before her arrival. After one semester, word spread about the witty, engaging dance instructor and registration sky rocketed. The one class a semester offering turned quickly into a three-to-four classes a semester offering. Young men who had never formally learned to dance were signing up for additional classes. Mrs. Maceo used the dance class to build students’ confidence. It wasn’t long before she was working with the students to develop a Fine Arts Association that rapidly grew to be one of the largest student organizations on campus.
From a student development standpoint, the skills and confidence that Mrs. Maceo builds within many of the students is just as important as the knowledge they acquire in the classroom. She is so highly respected by the student body that she was one of the first to be selected as a SALT Camp namesake. In addition, she has been selected as advisor of the year, and continually rates among the best in her teaching evaluations. Mrs. Maceo has truly distinguished herself through her incredibly powerful relationships with students.
College: Texas A&M University at Galveston
Award Level: Individual Student Relationships
Edward
Massingill
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Year Awarded: 2012
Edward Massingill joined the staff of Texas A&M University in 1980 as a custodial worker I for Physical Plant Custodial Services. In 1988, he was promoted to custodial worker II. He has been a senior custodian for the past 23 years. Altogether, Mr. Massingill has dedicated 31 years of outstanding service to the university.
For the past 15 years, Mr. Massingill has worked in the Large Animal Surgery in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. The area consists of four operating rooms, two patient preparation rooms, seven recovery stalls, and the entire Central Sterile Supply area. He is specifically responsible for keeping the area clean, disinfected, and decontaminated. The wellbeing and recovery of the patients depends on a number of factors, but one of the most important is the overall cleanliness of the surgical suite. As the surgery custodian, Mr. Massingill employs a unique set of skills to perform his job; these include strong customer focus, accountability, initiative, attention to detail, pride in his work, and a conscientious work ethic. He is a valued and important member of the team in the Large Animal Surgery and contributes greatly to the team’s success.
Mr. Massingill’s outstanding service has been recognized by Custodial Services many times throughout his career as the Employee of the Year for Crew B. In addition, he was nominated by his colleagues for the Employee of the Year award for all of Custodial Services. In 2011, he received the Candle Light Award from the Office of the Vice President for Administration.
College: Facilities
Award Level: Staff
Mohamed
Nounou '95
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Year Awarded: 2012
Mohamed Nounou received his Ph.D. from the Ohio State University in 2000, after which he worked for two years in industry, served on the faculty of the United Arab Emirates University for four years, and joined the faculty of Texas A&M University at Qatar in 2006. During his five years on the TAMUQ faculty he has consistently received exceptional student evaluations that reflect the quality of his teaching.
Dr. Nounou is first and foremost an inspirational teacher. Students laud his unique ability to clearly present challenging engineering concepts. In the classroom, his spirited enthusiasm creates a stimulating atmosphere that makes learning both exciting and rewarding for his students. He routinely incorporates the results of his academic research into his courses, which allows his students to have front-row seats to observe the way his research unfolds. In addition, Dr. Nounou involves a number of his students in the research process, which has led to his mentoring several students through their own research projects. In fact, one of his former undergraduate students won the Richard E. Ewing Research Award for his work with Dr. Nounou, and is now continuing his graduate study at Stanford University.
Most importantly, Dr. Nounou is an outstanding role model for TAMUQ students. They can identify with his Middle Eastern heritage and view him as a person much like themselves who has achieved success in the international engineering community. He provides a fine example for them to emulate as they build their own careers.
Dr. Nounou is a truly valuable asset to the professional community in Qatar and the community of chemical engineering students, faculty, and professionals worldwide.
College: Texas A&M - Qatar
Award Level: Teaching
John
Schwarz
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Year Awarded: 2012
John Schwarz is professor and head of the Department of Marine Biology and director of the Seafood Safety Laboratory at Texas A&M University at Galveston. He earned his Ph.D. in molecular biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1972 after which he studied deep-sea bacteria as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Maryland. He joined the faculty of Texas A&M University at Galveston in January 1976. He has taught both microbiology and genetics each semester for 30 of his 36 years with TAMUG, and continues to teach microbiology each long term.
Dr. Schwarz is known as tireless and gifted teacher who has a true passion for teaching and a contagious, positive energy that makes students eager to learn. At an island university, where the beach is always calling, his passion for his subject and his enthusiasm for teaching motivate students to come to class even when the beach is calling most loudly. To illustrate his passion and enthusiasm, two students fondly recall a specific class when he gave an animated portrayal of a centrifuge.
His nominator says that Dr. Schwarz genuinely cares for the wellbeing of his students and has an uncanny ability to notice even the most subtle indications that something is amiss. He always goes out of his way to ask how students are doing and then takes the time to advise them on academic issues or point them to resources to help them with personal issues.
A colleague writes, John Schwarz’s “reputation is often expressed in two words: hard and fair. For many years, his rigorous teaching has made TAMUG a better place for students.” In sum, “He is a distinguished teacher in the best tradition of Texas A&M University.”
College: Texas A&M University at Galveston
Award Level: Teaching
Michael
Shaub
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Year Awarded: 2012
Michael Shaub joined the faculty of Texas A&M’s Mays Business School in 2006 after service on the faculties of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Hillsdale College, the University of North Alabama, and St. Mary’s University. He earned his Ph.D. in accounting from Texas Tech University. He currently teaches a pre-internship auditing course and a post-internship ethics course, both of which are very important to the early career experiences and success of Texas A&M’s accounting students.
Dr. Shaub is an unusually dedicated and exceptional teacher who is highly respected by current and former students both for his teaching ability and his genuine concern for his students’ development. In addition to being an exceptional teacher and motivator, Dr. Shaub is also always willing to spend significant time out of the classroom for both the academic and personal development of his students.
His unusual effectiveness in teaching is driven by the four elements in his teaching philosophy. First, each individual matters. Second, it is imperative for him to stimulate creativity in his students. Third, one of his objectives is to help his students realize their potential. And fourth, beyond the search for knowledge, he wants to help his students grow in wisdom as well as to be life-long learners.
He prepares his students for the real world by using true-to-life business and professional scenarios in the classroom. His strategies clearly enhance students’ understanding of internal controls and the fraud assessment process that they will likely use in real-life situations. He also prepares them to deal with real-life ethical issues.
Dr. Shaub has unusual enthusiasm for his students and his work, which is strengthened by an extremely positive attitude and a caring personality. He is considered to be an exceptional faculty member and a very important asset to the accounting students at Texas A&M University.
College: Mays Business School
Award Level: Teaching
James
Smith '70
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Year Awarded: 2012
James Smith has enjoyed a richly diverse set of careers since graduating from The John Hopkins University in 1961. Following graduation, he served on active duty in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and later worked as a professional staff member for the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, advising on military construction. In 1985, he moved to the construction industry and worked with both design and construction firms with worldwide responsibilities. Along the way, he earned both master’s and Ph.D. degrees in civil engineering from Texas A&M. He joined the faculty of Texas A&M’s College of Architecture in 1996.
Dr. Smith is known for leveraging his broad experience to develop assignments that are realistic and that partner students with industry professionals to bring real-world projects into the classroom. This strategy enhances the learning experience for the students and provides them an opportunity to “shine” for potential employers. Dr. Smith demonstrates his commitment to teaching excellence through the substantial investment of time and energy it takes to identify projects that are current, relevant, and on a scale the students can digest, as well as finding industry volunteers to participate.
His assignments require students to work together in teams. He teaches them to recognize everyone’s individual talents and gives them strategies on how to work toward a common goal. These skills pay dividends in the professional world but also in working on group projects during their academic careers.
In addition, Dr. Smith is notorious among his students for the “red pen” on writing assignments. He believes that excellent written and oral communications are essential to success in the construction industry.
His nominators conclude that Dr. Smith is completely dedicated to his students, putting in the preparation and planning needed to integrate multiple disciplines in a single class. “He is a truly special teacher.”
College: Architecture
Award Level: Teaching
Nicholas
Suntzeff
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Year Awarded: 2012
Nicholas Suntzeff joined the faculty of the Department of Physics and Astronomy in Texas A&M’s College of Science in 2006. He presently holds the Mitchell/Heep/Munnerlyn Chair in Observational Astronomy. He earned his Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of California at Santa Cruz and Lick Observatory. Before coming to Texas A&M, he was the associate director for science at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory in Chile.
In 1994 he co-founded the high-Z Supernova Team, which discovered the accelerating expansion of the universe through observations of distant supernovae in 1998. This discovery revolutionized cosmology and our understanding of the universe and identified an entirely new and unanticipated component of the universe, now commonly referred to as “dark energy.” This work was the basis for the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics. Overall, the body of his research results has helped reveal a universe that was mostly previously unknown. The findings demonstrated that our knowledge of the universe is wildly incomplete and helped to point the direction for major astronomy and particle physics experiments in the coming decades.
At Texas A&M, Dr. Suntzeff established an astronomy component in the Department of Physics and coordinated Texas A&M’s participation in the Giant Magellan Telescope Project. He plays major leadership roles in the astronomy research community. He has published more than 230 articles in refereed journals and has more than 25,000 citations. His awards include the ISI Highly Cited Scientist Award in 2003 and the Gruber Prize for Cosmology in 2007. In 2010, he began a 3-year term as Vice President of the American Astronomical Society. In 2011, he was a Jefferson Senior Science Fellow in the Office of Human Rights at the U.S. Department of State.
College: Science
Award Level: Research
Michael
Walters
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Year Awarded: 2012
Michael Waters earned his doctoral degree in geosciences from the University of Arizona in 1983 and was hired by Texas A&M’s Department of Anthropology (College of Liberal Arts) and Department of Geography (College of Geosciences) in 1986. He holds the Endowed Professorship in First American Studies and is the associate director of the Center for the Study of the First Americans and the executive director of Texas A&M’s North Star Archaeological Research Program.
He is known for his expertise in First American Studies and geoarchaeology, and has worked on more than 60 archaeological projects in the United States, Mexico, Russia, Jamaica, and Yemen. His current research projects include sites in Tennessee and Mexico, as well as several sites in Texas. He has authored numerous journal articles and book chapters and is the author of Principles of Geoarchaeology: A North American Perspective. This book, now a standard archaeological reference, is used in classrooms across the nation and was recently translated into Japanese. Dr. Waters has published seven articles in the journals Science and Nature. His two 2011 Science articles provided unequivocal evidence of human occupation of the Americas before 13,000 years ago, overturning a long-held paradigm of Paleoindian scholars and setting a new direction in American archaeology.
Also in 2011, Dr. Waters and his colleagues published Clovis Lithic Technology: Investigation of a Stratified Workshop at the Gault Site, Texas. This book is the first comprehensive study of a 13,000-year-old, stone-tool workshop. He has received the 2003 Kirk Bryan Award and the 2004 Rip Rapp Archaeological Geology Award from the Geological Society of America. He is a Fellow of the Geological Society and Smithsonian Magazine named his work on Pre-Clovis tools as one of the Top Ten Hominid Discoveries of 2011.
College: Liberal Arts
Award Level: Research
C. Jane
Welsh
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Year Awarded: 2012
Jane Welsh received her Ph.D. from London University in the United Kingdom and completed postdoctoral research at King’s College Hospital and Cambridge University. She joined the faculty of Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 1990. In addition to her faculty appointments, she serves the College as assistant dean for graduate studies. She is known as an outstanding scientist and teacher who fosters the love of science in her graduate students and strengthens their commitment to scientific discovery. She and her students have made substantial contributions to neuroimmunology and understanding of diseases in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, notably multiple sclerosis.
She is an exceptionally gifted mentor, who is currently serving as the major professor for one Ph.D. student, and has served as the major professor or co-chair for 13 master’s or Ph.D. students. She has also served on 58 graduate advisory committees in 10 departments in both Texas A&M University and the Texas A&M Health Science Center. In addition, she has served on 15 graduate advisory committees for the Master of Biotechnology and 20 non-thesis master’s degree committees. She serves on this remarkable number of committees because both students and their advisors know that she will provide students with practical and timely advice on their research problems, faithfully attend graduate committee meetings, and provide critical input on the content of students’ theses or dissertations.
Although Dr. Welsh is kind and generous with her time, she holds high expectations for her students to perform to the highest levels. Most students need much molding to reach their potential, but those who wrote in support for Dr. Welsh describe their experiences with delight and gratitude. Former graduate students who are now mentors and colleagues cite her as a role model for their own mentoring.
College: Veterinary Medicine
Award Level: Graduate Mentoring
Ruby
Williams
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Year Awarded: 2012
Ruby Willams’ outstanding loyalty, commitment to excellence, and vivacious personality have made her a favorite among not only University Dining personnel but also among her customers—both student and staff alike. She has dedicated 24 years to Texas A&M University Dining, starting as an entry-level food service worker and working her way up to a managerial position in one of University Dining’s busiest and most profitable units—The Grill at the Pavilion. At The Grill, Ms. Williams and her team have achieved revenue growth of more than 65 percent since their new menu launch and facility facelift in 2010, providing more than 3,300 customers a week with exceptional food and service. It is not rare for customers to her as their friend, Ruby. Her superior customer service and commitment to going the extra mile set her apart from others.
Her energy and enthusiasm have earned her an ongoing invitation to be a part of the staff for the President’s suite during each home football game for the past 11 years. She brings to the suite the same commitment to excellence and cheerful disposition that is in evidence at The Grill each week. In addition, the student volunteers who help her in the suite feel comfortable and well-trained to offer their best for some of the university’s most important guests and dignitaries. In recognition of her outstanding service, University Dining has awarded Ruby Williams with notable awards, such as the Grand Employee of the Year in 1992, Employee of the Year in 2000. Ms. Williams is an invaluable asset to the university community.
College: Facilities
Award Level: Staff
Sherry
Yennello
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Year Awarded: 2012
Sherry Yennello has taught students and led an internationally recognized research program at in Texas A&M’s College of Science for the past 19 years. She is passionate about ensuring equity and access to education and professional advancement for all, both creating opportunities and motivating students to take advantage of existing opportunities.
After earning her Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry from Indiana University, Dr. Yennello served as a research associate at Michigan State University. She joined the Texas A&M faculty in 1993. Her research in accelerator-based, heavy-ion reactions is supported by six federal grants and has been recognized by numerous awards. She is a Fellow of both the American Chemical Society and the American Physical Society.
Dr. Yennello teaches a dynamic range of courses from first year chemistry for non-science (predominately elementary education) majors and a freshman seminar course in Kitchen Chemistry to graduate courses in nuclear chemistry. Over the course of her career, she has involved 31 undergraduate and 16 graduate students plus 14 postdoctoral fellows in her research. She also has initiated and runs several programs aimed at increasing educational opportunities for students from groups that have not traditionally been part of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce.
Uniformly, Dr. Yennello is known for making chemistry meaningful to her students. For example, one of her classroom activities, “Chemistry in My Life,” requires each student to give a 3 to 5 minute presentation on an everyday application of chemistry. These have included how vapor pressures affect the application of nail polish to the optimum oxygen mix in fuel for cars.
Her nominator—a former student—concludes, “if I can become half the teacher Sherry is now, my students and I will benefit immeasurably.”
College: Science
Award Level: Teaching
Renyi
Zhang
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Year Awarded: 2012
Renyi Zhang joined the faculty in Texas A&M’s Departments of Atmospheric Sciences (College of Geosciences) and Chemistry (College of Science) in 1997. He earned a Ph.D. from MIT in 1993 and completed postdoctoral work at Caltech/NASA. He is holder of the Harold J. Haynes Endowed Chair in Geosciences. His early research contributed to the understanding of stratospheric ozone depletion and thunderstorm electrification.
His research at Texas A&M has led to breakthroughs and paradigm shifts in several atmospheric fields—photochemical oxidation of hydrocarbons; formation, growth, and properties of aerosols; urban and regional air pollution; ambient measurements of trace gases and aerosols; and assessment of aerosol-cloud-climate interaction—and provided critical insights into the impacts of human activities on the environment, weather, and climate. He has published 141 papers in peer-refereed journals and his work has been cited more than 3,800 times.
Currently, Dr. Zhang serves as director of the Center for Atmospheric Chemistry and Environment at Texas A&M, chairs the American Meteorological Society’s Atmospheric Chemistry Committee, is editor of the Journal of Geophysical Research–Atmospheres, and is a member of the International Commission on Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Pollution. He has chaired 12 Ph.D. dissertations and 8 master’s theses. He has received several awards, including honorary professorships at Fudan University and Peking University in China, the Outstanding International Collaboration Researcher Award from the China National Science Foundation, the Bush Excellence Award for Faculty in International Research, and the Cheung-Kong Distinguished Scholar Award from the Ministry of Education–China. He is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union.
College: Geosciences
Award Level: Research
Nancy
Amato
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Year Awarded: 2011
Dr. Nancy Amato received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois, Urbana in 1995 and was hired as an assistant professor at Texas A&M University the same year. She received the National Science Foundation Faculty Early CAREER Development Award and the TEES Select Young Faculty Award. Additionally, she received the designation of IEEE Fellow and has been awarded a TEES Fellow three times, for which she now has the designation of being a TEES Senior Fellow. She has received several teaching awards, including the Department Award for Teaching Excellence, College of Engineering Lockheed Martin Excellence in Engineering Teaching Award and a Center for Teaching Excellence Scholar designation.
She sets high expectations and clear objectives for students, and is well prepared to assist them with questions and concerns dealing with course subject matter. Dr. Amato is a committed advocate for the students, and is responsible for creating a mentor pool comprised of senior faculty to answer questions concerning class work, career advice, research and graduate school information. Her contributions include significantly revising content in four specialized graduate courses and active participation in the recent undergraduate curriculum overhaul.
One graduating senior wrote of Dr. Amato, “In my first semester here at Texas A&M, I was one of the very few students who actually knew where they wanted to end up in life. In my case, I want to be a College Professor. I met with Dr. Amato that first semester, and one of the things that made her stand apart from other professors was her enthusiasm and excitement to help start a young advantageous student's career choice. I have currently been working with her for over a year, and am excited to be continuing with her for my senior year, where she will be the advisor on my Undergraduate Research Thesis.”
A former student wrote, “Nancy’s engaging and open teaching and mentoring style was the cornerstone of my education at Texas A&M. Her influence on my educational and professional development was significant.”
College: Engineering
Award Level: Teaching
Kemble
Bennett
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Year Awarded: 2011
Dr. G. Kemble (Kem) Bennett joined the Texas A&M Engineering Program in 1986 as Professor and Head of the Department of Industrial Engineering. He has served as Associate Dean of Research, Director and CEO of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), and Director and CEO of the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), where he founded Texas Task Force I. Currently, Dr. Bennett is the chief administrator for engineering programs of the Texas A&M University System, and, as such, serves as Vice Chancellor for Engineering, Director and CEO of TEES and Dean of the Dwight Look College of Engineering. As Vice Chancellor, Dr. Bennett administers research programs and extension services of TEES, TEEX, and the Texas Transportation Institute, and coordinates engineering, academic and research programs across the A&M System. As Dean of the Dwight Look College of Engineering, he administers one of the nation’s largest and highest ranked engineering programs. He has led the college through a period of tremendous growth, including the addition of 113 faculty positions, establishing the branch campus in Doha, Qatar, and increasing research expenditures. He has been chair of the National Advisory Council for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and chair of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers. He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Industrial Engineers and Society of Logistics Engineers, where he has been recognized for his professional and academic contributions with the Albert G. Holzman Distinguished Educator Award and the Eccles Medal. He was named Distinguished Engineer by the Texas Tech University, where he earned his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering in 1970.
One colleague wrote, “On any given day during any given week, Dr. Bennett is called upon to make hundreds of non-trivial decisions and each decision effects programs, individuals and students in multiple ways.” He adds, “It is difficult to fully describe the breadth and depth of administrative and management talents of this dedicated leader.” In addition, he stated, “I have served Texas A&M University for over 35 years, and I have seen presidents, provosts, deans and administrators come and go. I have never known anyone to possess the administrative and judgmental skills of Dr. Kemble Bennett.”
College: Engineering
Award Level: Administration
Robert
Chapkin
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Year Awarded: 2011
Dr. Robert Chapkin’s outstanding research program has been recognized repeatedly with an impressive list of awards which places him in the highest echelons of his profession including: NIH "First Award", July 1989 June 1994; PEW National Nutrition Program Faculty Scholar, 1991-1992; American Society for Nutritional Sciences (ASNS) Bio Serv Award in Experimental Animal Nutrition, 1996; Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Faculty Fellow Award (TAES), 2000; Texas A&M University Faculty Fellow Award, 2001-2005; Sigma Xi Distinguished Scientist Award, Texas A&M University Chapter, 2006; Senior Faculty Fellow Award, TAES, 2007; Vegetable & Fruit Improvement Center, Texas AgriLife Research Director’s Award, 2009; and the Texas A&M University System Regents Fellow, 2010.
His expertise spans the fields of integrative nutrition, cancer biology, and immunology. He has published 167 peer reviewed manuscripts, including 12 invited reviews, written 21 book chapters, and published 216 abstracts. The fact that his papers have been cited over 4,500 times and have an h-index of 37 clearly demonstrates that he has had a significant impact and has achieved the highest level of scholarship and academic leadership. Dr. Chapkin has also served on the editorial boards of five scientific journals, i.e., Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids (1989-Present), Journal of Nutrition (2002-2004), Chemistry and Physics of Lipids (2005- present), Cell Communication Insights (2008-present), and the British Journal of Nutrition (2010-present). He has given 85 invited talks at academic institutions, as well as national and international meetings. His research program is one of the most well-funded, innovative and productive programs in the College. He has received $10.5 million as PI ($32+ million as PI, co-PI and collaborator combined) in funding from the NIH, USDA and other agencies. Over the past five years, Dr. Chapkin has received funds that amount to over $6 million as PI and $22 million overall.
College: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Award Level: Research
Gerard
Cote
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Year Awarded: 2011
Dr. Gerard L. Coté has been with the university for 20 years. He is recognized as a world-wide expert in optical sensing for diagnostic and biomedical sensing applications. His most notable research accomplishment is in the area of optical glucose monitoring for determining blood sugar levels in diabetes. He has been asked to give several technical talks within the US and abroad, has consulted with companies providing his expertise in this technology area, and received attention from the popular press including segments on Fox News and in Readers Digest. More specifically, beyond his publication record in these areas, he is the co-inventor, with four patents issued and one pending, of two potentially revolutionizing glucose sensing methods. In addition to glucose sensing, he has developed optical technology for the diagnostics area. Specifically, he has co-authored several research papers in top journals describing his collaborative innovative approaches toward optically monitoring perfusion and oxygenation for tissue liver transplant patients and for the development of point-of-care nanosystems based on surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy for detection of blood biomarkers. He has a patent pending on the point-of-care technology that has been licensed by a small medical device company that he co-founded, MedAutomate Diagnostics, Inc. He has also spun off two other companies (BioTex, Inc. and Visualase, Inc.) that develop optical medical technologies. The bulk of the research that Dr. Coté has performed is described in over 240 publications; including refereed journal papers, proceedings, presentations, patents, and book chapters. To perform this work, he has received funding from NIH, NSF, DOE, NASA, private foundations and industry. He currently has over $6M in NIH research funding. He has also established collaborations world-wide including faculty from Strathclyde University in Scotland, the University of Pittsburgh, University of Maryland and Oak Ridge National Lab.
College: College of Engineering
Award Level: Research
Ann
Eastwood
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Year Awarded: 2011
Ms. Ann Eastwood has been employed at Texas A&M over 17 years. She attended Business College and received her degree in business administration. She has worked in several departments across campus including the Department of Construction Science, International Programs Office, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Ms. Eastwood's career highlights include in the Texas A&M Traditions of Excellence Staff Award, the Staff Star Award from International Programs Office, the Linda J. Todd Outstanding Support Staff Achievement Award, the Construction Industry Advisory Board's Special Recognition Award, and the "Mother Hen Award" from the Staff Development Committee in the College of Architecture. Ann's most proud and honored career highlight was in 2005 when the graduating class in Department of Construction Science endowed a scholarship in her name.
One dean from Texas A&M-Galveston wrote of Ms. Eastwood, “In my 30 years of working in higher education, I can say that Ann Eastwood is one of the finest people I have ever had the privilege of working with. Since I came to the University of Oklahoma to be the Dean of the College of Architecture, I have continued to hear high praise for her good work there in the Dean's office at Texas A&M. This is precisely what I would have predicted.” Another colleague wrote of Ms. Eastwood, “Unfortunately last fall one of our students died. Ann worked with the family for a special evening prior to Silver Taps. She gathered the young man's classmates and faculty so they could visit with the family and have dinner together in the Wright Gallery. Since the family spoke little English, she made sure that there were translators at the tables and a pianist in the lobby of the building. This was the parent's first visit to Texas A&M University. Ann gathered pictures of the young student with his competition team and with his teachers and had the teachers and students write about their time with him to his parents. I am confident that this made a lasting and special impression of our University.”
College: Architecture
Award Level: Staff
John
Edwards '00
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Year Awarded: 2011
Dr. John F. Edwards has been at Texas A&M University for 27 years. He earned his B.A. (Microbiology, University of New Hampshire) in 1966, DVM (The Ohio State University) in 1974 and Ph.D. (Cornell University) in 1983 and is board certified in Veterinary Pathology. Dr. Edwards was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Brazil. His awards include: Samuel F. Scheidy Memorial Award " Best Presentation on", American Veterinary Medical Association Foundation, World Veterinary Congress; Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Clinical Service Award, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University; The Robert L. Farrell Distinguished Lecturer Award: CL Davis Foundation for Service. Of the TAMU students he has assisted in training, 96% have completed the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and Clinical Pathologists board examination, an international examination with a 25-40% pass rate. Dr. Edwards was a major organizer of the annual CL Davis Foundation Southwest Region Meeting of Pathology. Dr. Edwards was a member of the original advisory board and is presently a member of the Board of Directors of The Charles Louis Davis, DVM Foundation for the International Advancement of Veterinary & Comparative Pathology. He maintains the Foundation Study Center at TAMU. For 15 years, he was the lead instructor of red meat pathology for the USDA FS IS Training Center and has presented red meat and avian pathology courses for institutions worldwide. Dr. Ed wards' area of funded research is in viral-induced malformations of the ruminant fetus. He collaborates internationally with veterinarians on a variety of projects, especially those involving reproduction and infectious diseases.
One former student wrote, “If anyone deserves an award (or knighthood) for graduate student mentoring it would ABSOLUTEL Y be the incomparable Dr. John Edwards…. His efforts to prepare residents for the gross portion of the exam and for their careers afterward are no less than legendary; not only here at TAMU but also around the world.” In addition, the former student states, “He has an answer for every question and without hesitation gives generously of his time, knowledge, patience, and energy to residents, vet students, and colleagues a like. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from him during my time here at Texas A&M."
College: College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Award Level: Graduate Mentoring
Anthony "Shady"
Groves '68
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Year Awarded: 2011
Colonel Anthony "Shady" Groves has been employed with Texas A&M for twelve years serving first as a Cadet Training Officer then as the Assistant Commandant for Operations and Training and currently as the Assistant Commandant for Academics and Discipline for the Corps of Cadets. Prior to his employment with Texas A&M, he served thirty years in the Air Force with his final assignment as the colonel in charge of Air Force ROTC. Shady had a very distinguished career as an Air Force fighter pilot. In addition to his BS in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M, he holds a MS in Operation Research from the Air Force Institute of Technology. Col Grove's dedication to the operations and welfare of the cadets in the Corps is an integral part of the organization's survival. A very important part of Col Grove's job is in counseling and mentoring cadets in the corps. Col Groves has created a culture of respect, care and trust amongst the cadets and staff and is held in great admiration by all. It has been written that the intensity of vision, coupled with commitment is magnetic. Col Groves exemplifies this concept through his interaction with all the Office of the Commandant Staff and Corps of Cadets.
The Vice President of Student Affairs wrote, “He is affectionately known as ‘Shady’ Groves across our campus, although most do not know that it is because he once wore dark sunglasses to a mission briefing while serving in Vietnam. Instead it now symbolizes to many of our students that if you need a staff member with whom to find some shade to seek guidance from, or to talk to about how to live up to high expectations, that ‘Shady’ Groves is your best bet. The expectations that he sets are indeed high and he has never compromised on our institutional core values or principles. He is equally firm in ensuring that students face their responsibilities and understand and accept consequences. This is an important and often overlooked part of student development.”
College: Vice President of Student Affairs
Award Level: Individual Student Relationships
Kim
Hill
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Year Awarded: 2011
Dr. Kim Quaile Hill is the Cullen-McFadden Professor of Political Science. He has been a faculty member at Texas A&M since 1988. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from Rice University. Professor Hill has published widely on national, state, and local government in the United States. His most recent research advances general theory on the process of democratic representation in American government. He is the President of the Southern Political Science Association, and he previously served as editor of the American Journal of Political Science, widely considered the leading scientific journal in his discipline. Professor Hill also teaches one or more 200 or 300-level undergraduate courses every long semester. He has published several peer-reviewed articles on teaching political science in the American Political Science Association's leading journal of teaching and the discipline, PS: Political Science and Politics. One of these articles was subsequently profiled in The Chronicle of Higher Education: The Chronicle Review (Section 2, May 31, 2002). In 2007 Professor Hill was awarded the University Writing Center award for exceptional achievement in writing-intensive courses for undergraduates. That year he was also awarded the College of Liberal Arts Research Award for "Distinguished achievement in the study of empirical democratic theory and American politics."
College: Liberal Arts
Award Level: Teaching
Daniel
Jennings '86
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Year Awarded: 2011
Dr. Dan Jennings has been employed at Texas A&M for fifteen years after serving as an endowed professor at Baylor University where he gained an international reputation in corporate entrepreneurship. He redesigned the course content for numerous undergraduate courses at TAMU to develop higher order thinking skills and developed courses to relate industrial distribution theory to practice for MID courses. He has served as advisor to numerous doctoral and master students. He received the Outstanding Educator Award from the Federation of Business Disciplines. Professor Jennings has published 309 articles in academic and practitioner publications, authored or co-authored twenty-two textbooks and has written twenty-one chapters in textbooks authored by others. His research has been published in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times and he has received seventeen Best Paper Awards including the National Academy of Management. He has served as member of Editorial Review Boards of academic journals, president of an academic society, editor of academic publications, and contributing editor for practitioner publications. Dr. Jennings has been either Principal or Co-Principal Investigator for applied research projects totaling $2.1 Million and has obtained over $5 million in endowments, scholarships and laboratories for TAMU. Professor Jennings has served as Visiting Professor at universities in Russia, France, Canada, Mexico, Italy, and Australia and has conducted executive development programs in the U.S., Canada, France, Mexico, and Italy. He is an active labor arbitrator and a member of the National Academy of Arbitrators.
One former student wrote, “After graduating from the Master of Industrial Distribution program, Dr. Jennings' commitment to me, his student, did not stop. Continually throughout my career, I have had the advantage of presenting my plans to Dr. Jennings, and he has provided his input that has helped me develop successful strategies.”
Another former student wrote, “… the greatest gift I received as an Aggie, was the positive influence Dr. Jennings had on virtually every aspect of my life. While I have advanced in my career since graduating with an MID in 2009, I have become a better father, husband, son, friend, manager and employee. I owe much of this to Dr. Jennings.”
College: Engineering
Award Level: Teaching
Eluned
Jones '87
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Year Awarded: 2011
Dr. Eluned Jones’ is the Director of the Master of Agribusiness (MAB) program, an intercollegiate degree program with the Mays Business School, and chairs the Intercollegiate Faculty of Agribusiness. Jones holds Honors BS (University of Bath, UK) and MS (N.C. State University) degrees in horticultural crop production and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M. She was a faculty member at Virginia Tech for 14 years before joining the Texas A&M faculty in August 2002. Jones is a co-recipient of awards for excellence from the Southern Agricultural Economics Association and the American Society of Agronomy, and is a fellow of the Kellogg-funded Leadership Development Program at the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy. She chaired numerous regional and national academic committees relating to food and agribusiness marketing and policy including the American Agricultural Economics Association Sections on Extension and on Food and Agricultural Marketing Policy. She served on the Federal Grain Inspection and Packers and Stockyards Administration Industry Advisory Committee and chaired the Wheat Industry Resource Committee of the National Association of Wheat Growers. Jones is advisor to all MAB students and also teaches two of the core courses in the program. Since fall 2002 she has advised 116 MAB graduates and currently advises 38 students in the MAB program. Jones has taught and given presentations worldwide, and has helped establish an undergraduate agribusiness degree in El Salvador and a Master of Agribusiness in Armenia. Jones research analyzes the political and economic influence of institutions on the food system, in particular the public/government versus private role in assuring transparency, traceability and food safety across global supply chains.
One colleague wrote, “She is a strong and passionate advocate for her students. She sets her sights on transforming their lives, a true challenge to accomplish within the short time-frame of the professional master’s degree. Life transformations do not come easy and they only are possible with the application of multiple approaches to teaching and guidance. Dr. Jones begins by helping students understand concepts, engaging them in new ideas, opening their minds to new solutions or opportunities, and then energizing and rewarding them to follow through.”
College: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Award Level: Graduate Mentoring
Joyce
Juntune '97
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Year Awarded: 2011
Dr. Joyce Juntune has been a member of the faculty for thirteen years. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Bethel College, a M. S. in Curriculum and Instruction from St. Cloud State University and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. During her time at Texas A&M she has taught Child Development for Educators, Adolescent Development, and Educational Psychology. She spearheaded the development of the undergraduate minor in Creative Studies. The first class in the spring of 2004 had 13 students. Today Dr. Juntune has 80 - 90 students in each of her Creative Studies classes: Personal Creativity and Giftedness, Creativity and Creative Problem Solving, and Lateral Thinking: Systematic Innovative Thinking. Dr. Juntune also teaches the following graduate classes: Nature and Needs of the Gifted, Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted, Programming for the Gifted, Creative Thinking, Intelligence and Creativity, Educational Psychology, Child and Adolescent Development, and Learning Theories. Dr. Juntune has taught at the preschool, elementary, and middle school levels and conducts professional development training for school districts across the state. Her ability to make theoretical concepts applicable to the classroom has led to her being known as "The Teacher's Teacher". She has received the Texas A&M SLATE Award for teaching, the President's Award by the Texas Association for Gifted and Talented, and the David Tanner Champion of Creativity Award by the American Creativity Association. She has been selected as a 2011 Fish Camp namesake and was named to the Hall of Fame at her former high school.
The following are comments from teaching evaluations that demonstrate students' appreciation for Dr.
Juntune's teaching style: “Thank you for being such a great teacher! Your guidance and mentorship has made all the difference for me during my time at TexasA&M. You believed in my ability even when I did not. You have taught me so much and I am forever indebted to you.”
“Wow! What a wonderful, dynamic learning experience you provided me! I am so glad that I took your classes. You helped me find my passion - teaching children. You have such a gift Dr. Juntune!”
College: Education and Human Development
Award Level: Teaching
Joseph
Pasciak
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Year Awarded: 2011
Dr. Joseph E. Pasciak received his Ph.D. in 1977 from Cornell University. He was an Assistant Mathematician at Brookhaven National Laboratory from 1977 to 1979, Associate Mathematician from 1979 to 1982, and Mathematician from 1982 to 1996. He was Visiting Scientist with the Department of Computer Science at Yale University from September to December 1983, and with the Mathematical Sciences Institute at Cornell University in August 1989 and again in July 1994. He held Adjunct Professorships at the State University of New York at Stony Brook from 1986 to 1996 and at Texas A&M University from 1994 to 1996. Dr. Pasciak is the recipient of the 2007 Computational and Mathematical methods in Science and Engineering Prize for 'Excellence in Research', and of the Outstanding Science Communicator Award of the Texas A&M University chapter of Sigma Xi. He is regarded as a world leader on these topics. His work in these areas is very deep, highly innovative, mathematically complete, and it has enormous practical impact. It has been very influential for both theoretical numerical analysis and practical techniques for large scale computing of solutions to partial differential equations. Several methods which are widely used by the applied mathematics community bear his name: the Bramble/ Pasciak method for preconditioning a class of problems known as saddle point problems, the BPX (Bramble/Pasciak/Xu) preconditioner in multi-level methods, and the BPS (Bramble/Pasciak/ Schatz) preconditioner in the so called non-overlapping domain decomposition method.
Two noted scholars and colleagues of Dr. Pasciak wrote, “Joe Pasciak is a pillar of the group in numerical analysis at Texas A&M. He has been instrumental in developing this group to a size and strength that now puts it among the best in the country. His research and his related educational work have enhanced the reputation of Texas A&M University worldwide.”
College: College of Science
Award Level: Research