Joanne
Hardy
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Year Awarded: 2018
Joanne Hardy earned a doctor of veterinary medicine and master’s degrees from the University of Montreal and a doctorate from The Ohio State University. She is a Diplomate of both the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. She joined the faculty of College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2003. She previously was a member of the faculty at The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine where she rose through the ranks from clinical instructor to become an associate professor with tenure. While serving on the faculty at The Ohio State University, she received the Faculty Clinical Teaching Award, and was nominated for both the Norden Distinguished Teaching Award and the Dean’s Award for Creativity in Teaching. At Texas A&M, Dr. Hardy provides 25 hours of didactic instruction and 62 hours of laboratory instruction in 9 different courses within the professional veterinary curriculum, in addition to having a significant time commitment to clinical instruction integrated with patient care in the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. She has coordinated a foal-care elective and has developed two other hands-on elective educational opportunities: the trauma team and the colic team. These electives are the embodiment of high-impact learning, combining a small amount of didactic material to provide fundamental and essential background information and then allowing students to have first-hand experience with events like the birth of foals, traumatic injuries to horses, disaster relief experiences as occurred with Hurricane Harvey, and medical emergencies like colic. Since becoming a member of the Texas A&M faculty, Dr. Hardy has received the Richard H. Davis Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching and the Clinical Service Award.
College: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences
Award Level: Teaching
Louise
Abbott
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Year Awarded: 2010
College: Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Award Level: Teaching
John Paul
Abbott
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Year Awarded: 1962
College: Liberal Arts
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
Michael
Abelson
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Year Awarded: 1992
College: Business
Award Level: Teaching
Carolyn
Adair '69
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Year Awarded: 1981
College: Student Activities
Award Level: Student Relations
Thomas
Adair III '57
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Year Awarded: 1977
College: Science
Award Level: Teaching
Sherry
Adams
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Year Awarded: 2007
A native of Caldwell, Ms. Adams attended Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX. Her first assignment in Aggieland was with the Office of the Commandant for the Corps of Cadets. Life called, and Ms. Adams left Texas A&M, knowing that she would return one day. In 1990, she returned as an Administrative Assistant for the Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery. After a brief move to Laredo, Ms. Adams returned to the College of Veterinary Medicine, this time as the Assistant to the Dean. One CVM administrator says, “Sherry typifies what being a leader and team player is all about. She is extraordinarily dedicated to Texas A&M University and the CVM.”
In addition to supporting the many functions of the Dean’s office, Ms. Adams is responsible for the Office of Continuing Education, overseeing the Gentle Doctor Benefit and Auction that raises more than $120,000 each year for veterinary medical scholarships, coordinating college events, and supporting the faculty, staff, students and programs of the CVM. Through her tireless and selfless efforts, Ms. Adams is leaving an indelible mark on the lives and legacy of the college and those who work and study here. One admirer said, “Just being in Sherry’s presence, one cannot help but to see what a dignified, upstanding, honest and sincere person she is. She has dedicated her life to helping others.”
College: Administration
Award Level: Staff
Ralph James
Adams
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Year Awarded: 1980
College: Liberal Arts
Award Level: Teaching
Marvin L.
Adams
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Year Awarded: 2010
College: Engineering
Award Level: Teaching
J. Amanda
Adkisson
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Year Awarded: 2007
J. Amanda Adkisson holds both Master’s of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Finance from Texas A&M University. She is a 2005 winner of the Association of Former Students College-Level Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching, and in 2006 was nominated by the Texas A&M Student Government Association for the Presidential Professor Award for Teaching Excellence. Her teaching areas include investments, corporate finance, international finance, and money and capital markets. In a career that thus far spans a quarter of a century, she is honored to have taught approximately 8500 university students, including both undergraduates and graduates. Dr. Adkisson has also published numerous articles in refereed academic journals on the subjects of commercial banking, government regulation of the financial system, and most recently, mutual funds.
Dr. Adkisson comes from a farming family. She developed her interest in business and finance while computerizing the records of a dairy. She lives on a small horse farm near College Station with her husband, Dr. William Crockford, where they enjoy outdoor activities such as bicycling, gardening, and exploring nature.
College: Business
Award Level: Teaching
Perry
Adkisson
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Year Awarded: 1965
College: Agriculture and Life Sciences
Award Level: Research
Glenn
Agnolet
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Year Awarded: 2014
Glenn Agnolet earned his Ph.D. from Cornell University and completed postdoctoral work at AT&T Bell Laboratories before joining the faculty of the College of Science in 1985. Dr. Agnolet was a 1985 recipient of the National Science Foundation Young Investigator Award. While at Texas A&M, he has been recognized by The Association of Former Students with two college-level Teaching Awards and by the Physics Department with four Excellent Teaching Awards. He was awarded the Nelson M. Duller Professorship in Experimental Physics by the College of Science in recognition of his teaching and work with undergraduate Physics majors. His research interests lie in experimental low-temperature physics. Dr. Agnolet and his research group have studied the universal scaling of the two-dimensional superfluid phase transition of Helium-4 films and the effects of impurities on the growth dynamics of the Helium-4 solid-liquid interface using crystallization waves. One of their current projects is investigating the potential of a new configuration for inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) and the development of a low temperature scanning probe microscope capable of performing IETS.
A former colleague describes Dr. Agnolet as a “very well-liked individual who is loved by his students.” And that was the consensus among the six current and former students who wrote letters of support for his nomination. Most of the letters mentioned his “patience,” “understanding,” “respect,” and “kindness.” Several letters mentioned the GRE prep sessions Dr. Agnolet hosts for senior physics majors on Saturdays in the fall. One student who is now studying at Berkeley mentioned that “He makes his office his home and his students his family.” Following up on that point, a current student, who admits that he struggled with Physics, says he “spent hours upon hours” in Dr. Agnolet’s office receiving additional instruction and help. Another current senior summed it up when he wrote, “Dr. Agnolet plays a vital role in developing the mind and the character of every student that he teaches.”
College: College of Science
Award Level: Individual Student Relationships
Aydin
Akgerman
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Year Awarded: 1991
College: Engineering
Award Level: Research
I. Yucel
Akkutlu
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Year Awarded: 2016
Yucel Akkutlu, associate professor of petroleum engineering, the George & Joan Voneiff Career Development Professor, and William Keeler Fellow, is the Director of Graduate Advising in the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. in petroleum engineering from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Dr. Akkutlu joined the faculty of the College of Engineering in 2013 after serving in academic positions with the National Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics in Brazil, the University of Alberta in Canada, and the University of Oklahoma. His main research interest is fluid flow, transport, and reactions in porous media. He is the current executive editor of the SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Journal. Two years ago, in addition to his teaching and research, Dr. Akkutlu took on the role of Director of Petroleum Engineering Graduate Advising. His nominator wrote that Dr. Akkutlu “takes great pride and ownership of his responsibility as a faculty member and the graduate advisor for our department,” going on to describe him as “a listener and problem solver, firm in his decisions, with ability to produce positive outcomes, always putting the student first, with genuine care and concern.” In this role, he is devoted to helping students. No matter how busy he is, he makes himself available for the students. He is described as an optimistic individual, who through patience is able to keep his interactions with students positive. His demeanor calms upset or angry students and often allows them come up with proactive solutions to their problems. Dr. Akkutlu is described by his supporters as showing a genuine concern for the well-being of each student.
College: College of Engineering
Award Level: Individual Student Relationships
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
Mariam
Al-Mannai
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Year Awarded: 2010
College: Texas A&M University at Qatar
Award Level: Individual Student Relationships
Patricia
Alexander
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Year Awarded: 1992
College: Education and Human Development
Award Level: Research
Patricia Ann
Alexander
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Year Awarded: 1987
College: Education and Human Development
Award Level: Teaching
Terry
Alfriend
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Year Awarded: 2016
Terry Alfriend, TEES Distinguished Research Professor of Aerospace Engineering, joined the faculty of the College of Engineering in 1997. He earned his Ph.D. in engineering mechanics from Virginia Tech. Before coming to Texas A&M, Dr. Alfriend served on the faculty of Cornell University, conducted postdoctoral research at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and held positions with the Naval Research Laboratory, CIA Office of Development and Engineering, and the Naval Postgraduate School. He has been the leader of the Texas A&M team addressing the dynamics and control of satellite formation and is regarded internationally as a preeminent leader in astrodynamics, space situation awareness, and the dynamics and control of satellite formations. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and a Fellow of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). He has received the prestigious AIAA Mechanics and Control of Flight Award and AAS Dirk Brouwer Award. He was recently notified that he will receive the 2016 AIAA Guidance, Navigation and Control Award that is given to one person every other year. Dr. Alfriend has published one book, two book chapters, and more than 280 journal and conference papers in astrodynamics. His paper “The State Transition Matrix of Relative Motion for the Perturbed Non-circular Reference Orbit” has been cited more than 200 times. A colleague outside the university wrote, “In his nearly 50-year long stellar professional career as a world-class research and educator, he (Dr. Alfriend) played several major leadership roles and provided significant technical contributions to aerospace sciences that have set the bar and established the course of the field. Indeed he has made seminal contributions in just about every area of GNC.”
College: College of Engineering
Award Level: Research
Colin
Allen
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Year Awarded: 2000
College: Liberal Arts
Award Level: Teaching
Roland E.
Allen
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Year Awarded: 2004
College: Science
Award Level: Teaching
Jose
Amador
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Year Awarded: 1985
College: Agriculture and Life Sciences
Award Level: Extension/ Continuing Education
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
Nancy M.
Amato
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Year Awarded: 2018
Nancy Amato is Unocal Professor and Regents Professor in the Department of Computer Science where she co-directs the Parasol Lab. She is also senior director of Engineering Honors Programs in the College of Engineering and co-coordinator of the Computer Science and Engineering Track of Engineering Honors. She received bachelor’s degrees from Stanford University, a master’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and a doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses are motion planning and robotics, computational biology and geometry, and parallel and distributed computing. Dr. Amato was program chair for the 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) and for the 2016 Robotics: Systems and Science Conference. She is an elected member of the Computing Research Association (CRA) Board of Directors and previously of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Administrative Committee. She has served as co-chair of the CRA's Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research and was co-chair of the National Center for Women in Information Technology Academic Alliance. She has directed or co-directed the CRA-W/CDC Distributed Research Experiences for Undergraduates (DREU, formally known as the DMP) since 2000; DREU is a national program that matches undergraduate women and students from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities, with a faculty mentor for a summer research experience at the faculty member's home institution.
College: Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Award Level: Research
Nagamangala “N.K.”
Anand
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Year Awarded: 2018
Nagamangala Krishnamurthy “N.K.” Anand earned a bachelor’s degree from Bangalore University, a master’s degree from Kansas State University, and a doctorate from Purdue University. He is the executive associate dean in the College of Engineering and associate director of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES). He is also the James and Ada Forsyth Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Anand has served at Texas A&M University for 32 years, seven of those years as Executive Associate Dean in the College of Engineering. In his role as executive associate dean, he serves as chief operating officer for the College of Engineering, overseeing 13 departments with more than 500 faculty members. He was named a Regents Professor by the Texas A&M System Board of Regents in 2014 and received The Association of Former Students University-Level Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching in 2001. His research has also been recognized with many honors and awards over the years and he was elevated to the grade of Fellow with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1996. Since joining Texas A&M, he has held numerous administrative leadership positions. In the Department of Mechanical Engineering, he served as graduate program director and associate department head. At the college level, he served as assistant dean for graduate programs, interim department head for the Department of Chemical Engineering, associate dean of graduate programs, associate dean for research, associate director of TEES, interim executive associate dean, acting vice chancellor, interim dean, and acting director of TEES. For his outstanding service and dedication, he was awarded the Charles W. Crawford Service Award in 2006.
College: College of Engineering
Award Level: Administration
Carol Riggs
Anderson
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Year Awarded: 1972
College: Liberal Arts
Award Level: Teaching
John
Anderson
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Year Awarded: 1961
College: Liberal Arts
Award Level: Teaching
S. Kent
Anderson '93
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Year Awarded: 2014
Early on, Kent S. Anderson set out to teach and earned degrees in education as well as a teaching certificate. But he ended up spending the majority of his career in the real estate business, ultimately coming to Texas A&M and earning a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Science. Still the dream of teaching stuck with him. In 2007, he made his dream a reality when he joined the faculty of the College of Architecture’s Master of Land & Property Development Program. Soon after, he was given the task of establishing core competencies and redesigning the program’s curriculum. The five courses he now teaches reflect the industry’s best practices and give students the opportunity to learn from an active practitioner.
His students say that he provides a real-world perspective that allows them to understand the pieces of the puzzle fit together. Moreover, they say he’s not afraid to discuss his business-life failures as well as his successes. A former student writes that Dr. Anderson teaches students to analyze real-life projects so they can fully grasp the concepts and the thought processes involved in development. His teaching goes far beyond a textbook, spreadsheet, or site layout and engages the student in connecting the dots between what was learned in the classroom and what happens in the field. A colleague concurs, “Dr. Anderson’s courses epitomize interdisciplinary teaching and collaboration;” “Dr. Anderson engages students and offers high-impact learning experiences that prepare students for work in the real world;” and, “Dr. Anderson is the glue that holds his graduate program together.” Still another colleague writes that he is a role model, helping us all become better teachers through his example and mentorship. “He is an effective caring teacher, who combines his professional expertise and industry experience with teaching seamlessly.”
College: College of Architecture
Award Level: Teaching