Fidel
Fernandez '02
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Year Awarded: 2012
Fidel Fernandez has been a senior academic advisor with the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the Dwight Look College of Engineering for the past 13 years. He previously served as an academic advisor with General Academic Programs and in the Department of Student Affairs and in the Office of Graduate Studies. He earned his Ph.D. in educational administration from Texas A&M in 1987.
Students, colleagues, and parents have described Dr. Fernandez’s advising and individual student attention as caring, inspiring, compassionate, high quality, enthusiastic, dedicated, engaging, resourceful, resilient, and overall very helpful. He distinguishes himself through his leadership, personal interest, and demonstrated willingness to meet the needs of the students he advises. He works well with all stakeholders: students, parents, faculty, and administrators.
As senior academic advisor he works with more than 450 undergraduate students and assists with nearly 90 graduate students. He also plans undergraduate field trips and assists with data collection for program evaluation. He has even filled in as the receptionist when the department was short staffed. Outside the office, he advises A-Battery in the Corps of Cadets.
The accolades for Dr. Fernandez’ service to students is amazing! Here are a few examples. The students in the department have created a blog and named it “Fidel is the Man.” One student’s father claimed that his daughter chose A&M on the strength of hearing just one of Fidel’s presentations. The department receives several letters and emails each semester from parents expressing appreciation for the work and personal attention that Fidel has given their sons, daughters, and/or them. From all the evidence, Dr. Fernandez’ dedication, time, and effort toward student growth is clearly demonstrated and goes above and beyond the call of duty, regardless of the measure used.
College: Engineering
Award Level: Individual Student Relationships
Roger
Feldman
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Year Awarded: 1988
College: Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science
Award Level: Student Relations
Richard
Feldman
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Year Awarded: 1990
College: Engineering
Award Level: Teaching
Leslie H.
Feigenbaum ’80
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Year Awarded: 2008
Leslie Feigenbaum received both his Bachelor’s degree in Building Construction and Master’s degree in Construction Management from Texas A&M University. He has been on the faculty in the Department of Construction Science for 20 years. His teaching and publishing emphasis is in construction project planning and controls. In addition, Leslie has authored one of the most adopted textbooks in the area of construction estimating.
Peers laud Leslie’s ability to mentor countless students on academic and career planning, and former students praise him for his interest in their personal and professional development, and the time that he dedicates to make them successful. One colleague says, “Leslie – if he can in any way be of assistance to any student, he will do so, no matter when or where.” The nomination letter from the College of Architecture Student Advisory Council states “a unique moment occurs when a faculty member takes the time to listen to a student and show genuine interest in their wellbeing. The effort it takes to be available, the willingness to come early and stay late to help a student, the readiness to mentor student activities … these actions speak louder than the letters you will read.”
College: Architecture
Award Level: Student Relations
Chester P.
Fehlis ’69
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Year Awarded: 2003
College: Texas Cooperative Extension Service
Award Level: Continuing Education/Extension
Davis
Fahlquist
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Year Awarded: 1992
College: Geosciences
Award Level: Student Relations
John
Fackler
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Year Awarded: 2007
John Fackler joined the faculty of Texas A&M in 1983, serving as Dean of the College of Science until 1992. He currently holds the rank of Distinguished Professor of Chemistry. Dr. Fackler has been a leading international figure in inorganic chemistry for over thirty years, and his work in gold chemistry is recognized among the leading two or three chemists worldwide in this field. His work on organometallic gold chemistry, in particular, evolved fundamental structural concepts that are now being used to understand the role of gold in catalysis, a vibrant area of chemistry. He has advised 33 doctoral students and over 40 postdoctoral researchers, and published over 345 research papers.
Among his major honors and awards are a Fulbright Award, J. S. Guggenheim Fellowship, and three major awards from the American Chemical Society: Morley (1987), Southwest Regional (1990) and Distinguished Service to Inorganic Chemistry (2001). He has served as member and chair of the Board of Trustees of the Gordon Research Conferences, a world-renowned series of scientific conferences. A colleague from Harvard says of him, “John Fackler is an outstanding scientist, science administrator, teacher, mentor, and university citizen. Few persons I have known have been as accomplished in combining these elements into a distinguished and altogether commendable career as has John Fackler.”
College: Science
Award Level: Research
Margaret
Ezell
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Year Awarded: 2000
College: Liberal Arts
Award Level: Teaching
Philip
Eubank
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Year Awarded: 1983
College: Engineering
Award Level: Research
Joe
Estill ’57
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Year Awarded: 1986
College: Physical Plant
Award Level: Staff
Eduardo
Espina
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Year Awarded: 2007
Considered by the critics as one of the most important and original writers of the Spanish language, Eduardo Espina (Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis) was born in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1954. He has published more than ten books of poetry and criticism. He won prestigious international literary awards, and doctoral theses have been written about his poetic works. His poetry is studied in universities in the United States, Europe, and Latin America, and his poems have been translated partially to English, French, Italian, Portuguese, German and Croatian. He is included in the Encyclopedia Britannica.
For 20 years he has taught a wide variety of courses, at the undergraduate and graduate levels, receiving consistently very high student evaluations. Professor Espina feels the reason of his success is very simple: “Teaching to me is a vocation, not just profession. It is a labor of love. I love to teach, and students can see this. I have even more energy and passion than 20 years ago, and more desire to keep growing both personally and intellectually.” Professor Espina strives to be an intellectual role model and inspiration for his students, making a positive difference in their lives. He says, “I seek to help individuals of every belief, race, gender, sexual preference, and color to develop critical thinking talents beyond imagined boundaries.”
College: Liberal Arts
Award Level: Teaching
Eduardo
Espina
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Year Awarded: 2016
Eduardo Espina, a native of Uruguay, joined the faculty of the College of Liberal Arts in 1987 after earning his Ph.D. in Hispanic-American literature from Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Espina is an expert in Latin American poetry and essay from the 19th century to the present, as well as fiction, theater, and culture. He is the author of eight books of criticism, four collections of essays and more than 10 poetry collections and anthologies. In addition he has published 30 refereed articles. Dr. Espina has been the recipient of numerous national and international awards for his work and is also an active conference and event organizer. He has successfully directed four dissertations to completion, including the first one to come out of the Department of Hispanic Studies. Among his honors and awards, Dr. Espina has been the recipient of the Premio Nacional de Ensayo (National Essay Prize) by the Ministerio de Educación y Cultura of Uruguay, the Premio Municipal de Poesía (Municipal Poetry Prize) by the City of Montevideo, and the Latino Literature Prize by the Latin American Writers Institute. A supporter wrote that Dr. Espina is “one of the most important poets of his generation in Latin America” and “has made TAMU the most important U.S. University in terms of contemporary Latin American poetry and poetics.” Another supporter wrote that “He sets the international gold standard of research not only for the vastness and richness of his knowledge, but especially for his unequalled dazzling and engaging writing,” “Reading Dr. Espina’s essays is absorbing, engaging, amusing, and enriching.” Another supporter stated, “Texas A&M University is very lucky to count Professor Espina as faculty. He is a distinguished scholar and original and fruitful thinker.”
College: College of Liberal Arts
Award Level: Research
Tatiana
Erukhimova
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Year Awarded: 2012
Tatiana Erukhimova, earned her Ph.D. from the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1999, and came to Texas A&M in 2001 as a postdoctoral research associate, later an assistant research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences in the College of Geosciences. She joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Science in 2006. During the first part of her teaching career she taught “Atmospheric Thermodynamics: Elementary Physics and Chemistry.” She now teaches first year physics for engineers. In addition, she teaches physics during the summer for the LEEP program, which helps incoming engineering freshman prepare for their freshman year.
Dr. Erukhimova also serves as the outreach coordinator for the Department of Physics and Astronomy. For the past five years she has organized and run the annual Physics Festival that annually attracts several thousand people of all ages to campus for an entertaining and informative day of lectures and funny, puzzling, and fascinating hands-on experiments. She also has developed the traveling Physics Show and makes presentations to off-campus organizations, ranging from elementary school classes to adult clubs and former students groups. Needless to say, Dr. Erukhimova is in high demand as a speaker at local schools, libraries, and summer camps.
Students know Dr. Erukhimova for her passion and enthusiasm for teaching, as well as for being generous with her time helping them outside the classroom. She brings creative demonstrations to class; she posts old tests on her website—with the solutions; and she is constantly introducing novel ways to explain difficult concepts. One student concludes her letter of support like this “I learned more than just physics during my freshman year in Dr. Erukhimova’s classes: I learned vital study skills, and gained an incredible role model and mentor.”
College: Science
Award Level: Teaching
Prasad
Enjeti
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Year Awarded: 2004
College: Engineering
Award Level: Teaching
Newton
Ellis ’54
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Year Awarded: 1991
College: Engineering
Award Level: Teaching
Timothy R.
Elliott
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Year Awarded: 2017
Timothy Elliott, professor of educational psychology, earned his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Missouri. Before joining the faculty of the College of Education and Human Development in 2006, he served on the faculties of Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, which awarded him the Distinguished Service Award and the Roger G. Barker Distinguished Research Contribution Award. He has also received the Dorothy Booz Black Award for outstanding Achievement in Counseling Health Psychology from the Society of Counseling Psychology and the Essie Morgan Lifetime Research Award from the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Psychologists and Social Workers. Throughout his career, Dr. Elliott has systematically studied the adjustment of individuals living with chronic and debilitating health conditions. This work has resulted in more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, 50 book chapters, and external funding from several federal agencies. Dr. Elliott conducted the first randomized clinical trials of a psychological intervention for family caregivers of persons with spinal cord injuries as well of those with traumatic brain injuries. Colleagues in Germany adapted his intervention protocol for use with family caregivers of stroke survivors. Dr. Elliott developed the Telehealth Council Clinic at Texas A&M, where he serves as executive director, to provide telepsychology services to remote sites in five Brazos Valley counties, each designated as a health-provider shortage area. “In my view, Dr. Elliot’s record of scholarship is unquestionably outstanding and renowned, and his recognition and leadership among his peers is extraordinary” a colleague from Oklahoma State University writes.
College: Department of Educational Psychology
Award Level: Research
Nan
El-Sayed ’76
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Year Awarded: 1993
College: Graduate Studies
Award Level: Staff
Mahoud
El-Halwagi
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Year Awarded: 2012
Mahoud El-Halwagi has served as professor and holder of the McFerrin Professorship in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering in the Dwight Look College of Engineering since July 2002. He earned his Ph.D. from UCLA. Dr. El-Halwagi is known for his seminal contributions in the development of novel educational concepts, principles, and tools in the areas of sustainable design and process integration.
Dr. El-Halwagi demonstrates a remarkable level of dedication to his students, using a variety of methods to reach each and every student. His pioneering efforts have been recognized with numerous awards for teaching and scholarship, including the Faculty of the Year Award from the Texas A&M University Chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Research Excellence Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Sustainable Engineering Forum, and the Excellence in Engineering Teaching Award from Lockheed Martin.
Dr. El-Halwagi believes in teaching his students as individuals. In a letter of support, a colleague remarked that it is common to see groups of students in and around Dr. El-Halwagi’s office, waiting to ask a question or receive personalized instruction. Here is a sampling of what students have to say about Dr. El-Halwagi in their evaluations of his teaching. “He helps unconditionally; spends hours explaining materials if needed.” “Dr. El-Halwagi is one of the best professors I have ever had. He is able to get the concepts across and really makes the class understandable. I applaud him for a job well done.” “He is very concerned with whether the students really understand the questions. He is always willing to take time to help a student. He is a great professor.” And, “He has really made a positive impact on my life.”
College: Engineering
Award Level: Teaching
Fred
Ekfelt
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Year Awarded: 1955
College: Liberal Arts
Award Level: Teaching
Yalchin
Efendiev
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Year Awarded: 2017
Yalchin Efendiev, professor of mathematics and holder of the Mobil Chair in Computational Science, joined the faculty of the College of Science in 2001. He earned his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from California Institute of Technology and previously served as a research associate for Chevron Petroleum Technology Company and as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Minnesota. He is the director of the Institute of Computational Science at A&M and the Numerical Porous Media SRI Center at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Dr. Efendiev played a leading role in the development and analysis of the "multiscale finite-element method.” Multiscale problems are those which involve physical processes acting on different time and length scales. As such, they encompass many important applications but pose extremely difficult computational challenges. Along with the development of the multiscale finite element method, he has made pioneering contributions to the application of this technique to porous-media fluid flow, including groundwater remediation and oil-recovery modeling. Dr. Efendiev's work has been recognized nationally and internationally through awards and honors, including being named a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society and receiving the Fraunhofer Bessel Award from the Alexander von Humblodt Foundation. As a graduate advisor, Dr. Efendiev has had 22 Ph.D. students who have graduated under his supervision since 2004 and he is currently a chair for 6 more Ph.D. students. His nominators wrote, “…he is a great mentor to many junior people: Ph.D. students, postdoctoral associates, and young researchers within his sphere of influence. He has always encouraged them to strive for more accomplishments and never hesitated to give assistance, suggestions, and encouragement.”
College: Department of Mathematics
Award Level: Graduate Mentoring
George C.
Edwards III
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Year Awarded: 2004
College: Liberal Arts
Award Level: Research
Patty
Edwards '02
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Year Awarded: 2010
College: Texas A&M University at Galveston
Award Level: Individual Student Relationships
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
Catherine
Eckel
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Year Awarded: 2018
Catherine Eckel earned a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and a doctorate from the University of Virginia. She joined the faculty of the College of Liberal Arts in 2012 as the Sara & John Lindsey Professor of Economics. She was named University Distinguished Professor in 2015. Dr. Eckel’s primary research is in the areas of experimental and behavioral economics. She has made important contributions on topics that are both policy-relevant and of interest to the academic community. Examples include studies of the effect of subsidies on charitable giving, measuring risk preferences, and discrimination by race and gender as evidenced in games of trust. Her hundred-plus papers published as journal articles and book chapters have garnered over 11,000 citations (Google Scholar). In a recent published world ranking of over 1,500 researchers in experimental economics, Dr. Eckel is ranked 14th (top 0.1%). She is the number-one-ranked female experimental economist in the world. She is or has been a principal investigator or co-principal-investigator on 23 grants from the National Science Foundation, totaling more than $4.4 million. Dr. Eckel is currently president of the Economic Science Association, the professional association of experimental and behavioral economists. She is the past-president of the Southern Economic Association, the largest regional association in economics. She also served as Economics Program Director at the National Science Foundation. In January 2013, Dr. Eckel was awarded the prestigious Carolyn Shaw Bell Award, which is given annually by the American Economic Association Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession to an individual who has furthered the status of women in the economics profession, through example, achievements, increasing our understanding of how women can advance in the economics profession, or mentoring others.
College: Department of Economics
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
Amy E.
Earhart '99
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Year Awarded: 2017
Amy Earhart is an associate professor of English and affiliated with Africana Studies. She has been employed at Texas A&M for 21 years, 2 in her current position. She earned her Ph.D. in English with a certificate in Women’s Studies from Texas A&M. Dr. Earhart’s nominator describes her as not only one of the outstanding teachers in the Department of English, but also as a leading innovator in the evolving world of digital humanities and online pedagogy. For example, she pioneered a robust, fully online Survey of American Literature course that 175-250 students take each semester and went on to lead a successful effort to develop additional online courses in the Department. She also incorporates high-impact digital humanities projects in her classes, notably the Alex Haley Papers, which led to a publication for involved students, The Millican “Riot,” 1868, a digital archive of primary sources about this crucial local event. Her nominator adds that her pedagogical innovations transmit both solid content and lifelong critical skills to her students as well as teaching students the importance of previously ignored writers in the American literary tradition. Dr. Earhart, a recipient of the Montague-CTE Scholars Teaching Award, teaches undergraduate core curriculum and specialty courses as well as graduate seminars, and receives consistently outstanding student evaluations. A deeply honest and poignant letter from a former student, who now works at YES Prep Public Schools in Houston, describes how Dr. Earhart transformed her own view of “Blackness”: “I was appreciative to Dr. Earhart for teaching me about our history so I could teach others. From that moment, I decided to take any opportunity I could to educate others about our history.” Dr. Earhart’s is humanities teaching at its finest. It directly impacts the lives and work of students and helps create a more discerning, just, and informed society.
College: Department of English
Award Level: Teaching
Nancy
Dyer
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Year Awarded: 1994
College: Liberal Arts
Award Level: Teaching