View photos from the Academic Recognition Ceremony here

Faculty and academic staff from across campus were celebrated for their contributions to the university, academic community and pursuit of professional interests during the Academic Recognition Ceremony on April 25 at the McGregor Memorial Conference Center. The recognized indivdiuals were nominated by their colleagues and celebrated by the campus community during the annual program, which was led by President M. Roy Wilson and Provost Keith Whitfield. 

"Wayne State University's core mission is to prepare our diverse student body to thrive. The indivdiuals receiving awards today have helped us fulfill that responsibility through their service, scholarship, and teaching and mentoring," said Wilson. 

"I am pleased to be able to celebrate faculty, academic staff and graduate students who have achieved significant accomplishments in furthering the mission of Wayne State," said Whitfield. "Their work is inspiring to us all." 

The President’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching recognizes faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to teaching. Since 1977, 268 faculty members have been recognized with this honor. This year’s recipients are:

• Juliann Binienda, associate professor (clinical), department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences in the School of Medicine
• Marcus Dickson, professor, Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Liette Gidlow, associate professor, Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Silvia Giorgini-Althoen, senior lecturer, Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Donna Kashian, associate professor, Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Anne Messman, assistant professor (clinical), Department of Emergency Medicine in the School of Medicine
• Lisa Ze Winters, associate professor, Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The Charles H. Gershenson & Board of Governors Distinguished Faculty Fellowship Awards recognize and provide support for members of the faculty whose continuing achievements and current activities in scholarship, research, or the fine and performing arts are nationally distinguished. The Charles H. Gershenson Distinguished Faculty Fellowships are part of the benefaction to Wayne State by Charles H. Gershenson, who formerly served on the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors Distinguished Faculty fellowships are derived from revenues especially available to the Board. The term of each fellowship is two years. Since 1985, 86 Charles H. Gershenson Fellowships and 90 Board of Governors Fellowships have been awarded. This year’s recipients are:

Charles H. Gershenson Distinguished Faculty Fellowships:

• Jazlin Ebenezer, professor, Division of Teacher Education in the College of Education
• Mary Kay Pflum, professor, Department of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Kezhong Zhang, professor, Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics in the School of Medicine

Board of Governors Distinguished Faculty Fellowship

• Jonathan Flatley, professor, Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The Board of Governors Faculty Recognition Awards are given each year to members of the regular full-time faculty in recognition of a particular work of merit brought to fruition in the 12-month period immediately preceding the year of the award. The work of merit is a single act or event that constituted an outstanding contribution to scholarship and learning. Since 1975, 218 faculty members have received this award. This year’s recipients are:

• Jonathan Flatley, professor, Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Hans Hummer, professor, Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Chera Kee, associate professor, Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Boris Mordukhovich, distinguished professor, Department of Mathematics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Claude Pruneau, professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The Murray E. Jackson University Creative Scholar in the Arts Award supports a faculty-artist in residence program. This presidential initiative showcases exceptional faculty talent in the traditional performing, creative and visual arts, as well as more non-traditional arts, in pursuit of the university’s missions. This annual award was created to honor the memory of Murray E. Jackson, a valued member of the WSU community who was a poet, professor, and community and civil rights activist who served on the Board of Governors from 1981 to 2001.

• Juanita Anderson, lecturer and area head of Media Arts and Studies programs, Department of Communication in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts

Career Development Chairs are awarded to as many as ten recently tenured faculty as part of the university’s program to support the teaching and research endeavors of faculty members in the developmental stages of their scholarly careers. Since 1982, 255 faculty members have held Career Development Chairs. This year’s recipients are:

• Leela Arava, associate professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering
• Krista Brumley, associate professor, Department of Sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Kirsten Carlson, associate professor, Wayne Law
• Alina Cherry, associate professor, Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Lauren Kalman, associate professor, Department of Art and Art History in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
• Francesca Luca, associate professor, Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics in the School of Medicine
• Anna Moszczynska, associate professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
• Gil Paz, associate professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Krysta Ryzewski, associate professor, Department of Anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Stephanie Tong, associate professor, Department of Communication in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts

Academic Staff Awards

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes significant service to students, the university, department or community organizations, and committee work or other service beyond job responsibility. This year’s recipient is:

• Victoria Dallas, academic services officer IV in the Department of Communication in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts

The Outstanding Contributor Award is presented in recognition of significant accomplishments during the previous academic year and emerging leadership among junior academic staff. This year’s recipients are:

• Stephanie Hawkes, academic services officer II, coordinator for instructional support for the APEX Scholars Program
• Kurt Troutman, academic services officer II in the College of Education

The Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award recognizes outstanding scholarly activities that have contributed significantly to WSU’s graduate programs. Since 1974, 48 graduate faculty members have received the Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award. This year’s recipient is:

• Timothy Stemmler, associate dean, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

The Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award honors graduate faculty who are recognized by their departments and their graduate students as excellent mentors. This year’s recipients are:

• Stephanie Brock, professor, Department of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Chera Kee, associate professor, Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Kelly Young, associate professor, Department of Communication in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts

The Outstanding Graduate Director Service Awards are co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the Graduate School to highlight the important service by graduate directors in advancing graduate education in their programs. This year’s recipients are:

• Eric Ash, professor, Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Krista Brumley, associate professor, Department of Sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Emily Grekin, associate department chair, Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Fred Vultee, associate professor, Department of Communication in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts

The Garrett T. Heberlein Endowed Awards for Excellence in Teaching recognize graduate students who demonstrate instructional excellence. The award is designed in part to elevate the attention given to teaching as part of graduate education and the preparation of graduate students to serve as college and university teachers. This year’s recipients are:

• Laura Pineault, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Clare Russell, Ph.D. candidate, Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Learn more about awards and recognition from the Office of the Provost online.