As the winter 2022 semester comes to a close, faculty and academic staff from across campus will be celebrated for their contributions to the university, academic community and professional development. Faculty and staff were recognized at the Academic Recognition Ceremony and reception on April 28, 2022 at the Student Center Building. View photos from the event here. 

Faculty and staff will also be celebrated virtually May 2-11 by the Office of Faculty Development and Faculty Success as part of its Academic Recognition Week. The week will include ongoing communications and social media shout-outs, so please be sure to follow @WSUFacSuccess on Twitter.

“Our faculty and staff continue to go above and beyond to support student success, and their dedication and hard work is critical to Wayne State University’s core mission of providing a world-class education and experience,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Mark Kornbluh. “I am grateful for the innovative spirit that so many leaders on campus have displayed in their exceptional service, scholarship, and teaching and mentoring. Their work is an inspiration for us all.”

2022 Academic Recognition Awardees

Faculty Awards

The President’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching recognize faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to teaching. This year’s recipients are:

• Zachary Brewster, associate professor, Department of Sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Susanne Brummelte, associate professor, Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Moh Malek, professor in the Department of Health Care Services, physical therapy program in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
• Judith Moldenhauer, professor in the Department of Art & Art History in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
• Kazuhiko Shinki, associate professor in the Department of Mathematics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Andrea Tangari, associate professor in the Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management in the Mike Ilitch School of Business
• Amanuel Tekleab, professor in the Department of Management & Information Systems in the Mike Ilitch School of Business
• Nicole Varty, associate professor (teaching) in the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Jule Wallis-Thomas, associate professor (teaching) in the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Suxuan Xu, assistant professor (teaching) in the Department of Nutrition & Food Service in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The Charles H. Gershenson & Board of Governors Distinguished Faculty Fellowship Awards recognize faculty members 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 the late Charles H. Gershenson, who 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.

Charles H. Gershenson Distinguished Faculty Fellowship

• Izabela Podgorski, professor, Department of Pharmacology in the School of Medicine

Board of Governors Distinguished Faculty Fellowship

• Christine Chow, professor in the Department of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Lauren Kalman, associate professor in the Department of Art & Art History in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts

The Board of Governors Faculty Recognition Awards are given each year to members of the regular full-time faculty in recognition of a 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. This year’s recipients are:

• Stephen Chrisomalis, professor in the Department of Anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Kevin Deegan-Krause, professor in the Department of Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• William Lynch, professor in the Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Alexey Petrov, professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Career Development Chairs are awarded to as many as 10 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. This year’s recipients are:

• Natalie Bakopoulos, associate professor in the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Shooshan Danagoulian, associate professor in the Department of Economics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Christina DeNicolo, associate professor in the Division of Teacher Education in the College of Education
• Lauren Duquette-Rury, associate professor in the Department of Sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Stine Eckert, associate professor in the Department of Communication in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
• Elizabeth Evans, associate professor in the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Christopher Kelly, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Karen Marrero, associate professor in the Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Alisa Moldavanova, associate professor in the Department of Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Kristin Taylor, associate professor in the Department of Political Science 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 nontraditional 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.

• Natalie Bakopoulos, associate professor in the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Academic Staff Awards

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

• Heather Sandlin, academic services officer in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

The Academic Staff Professional Achievement Award is given for demonstrated leadership, significant accomplishments in professional organizations, and presentations and/or publications. This year’s recipient is:

• Rachel Pawlowski, academic advisor III in the Irvin D. Reid Honors College

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:

• Deborah Gibson, academic services officer III in the College of Education
• Brandon Shamoun, assistant director of student involvement in the Dean of Students Office

The General Education Teaching Award recognizes instructors at all levels who have demonstrated excellence. This year’s recipients are:

• Shantalea Johns, assistant professor (teaching) in the School of Social Work
• Chera Kee, associate professor in the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Hannah Schacter, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Academy of Teachers 2022-23 Inductees

The Academy of Teachers (AoT) is committed to promoting the shared value and culture of teaching excellence and student achievement at Wayne State University. The AoT strive to engage faculty, students, and staff in conversations about learning, and to move from conversations to concrete actions that improve the educational experience for all students. They also work to encourage policies at the university, local, state and national levels that support teachers, and promote and reward effective teaching. The academy selects up to five new members each year from nominees who have had a significant impact on the WSU undergraduate learning experience, practice innovative pedagogy and demonstrate instructional excellence. This year’s inductees are:

• Beth Fowler, associate professor (teaching) in the Irvin D. Reid Honors College
• Lauren Kalman, associate professor in the Department of Art & Art History in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
• Amy Latawiec, associate professor (teaching) in the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Nabil Sarhan, associate professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering
• Nicole Varty, associate professor (teaching) in the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

The Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award recognizes outstanding scholarly activities that have contributed significantly to WSU’s graduate programs. This year’s recipient is:

• Heather Dillaway, associate dean in the Department of Sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and 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:

• Simone Chess, associate professor in the Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Margaret Greenwald, associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Mark Luborsky, professor in the Department of Anthropology & Institute of Gerontology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Francesca Luca, associate professor, Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics in the School of Medicine

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

• Marcus Dickson, professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Larry Matherly, professor in the Department of Oncology and of Pharmacology in the School of Medicine
• Tracy Neumann, associate professor in the Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

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

• Mohammad Behzad Kang, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Mathematics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• David Moutard, Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Cara Young, M.F.A. candidate in the Department of Art & Art History in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts

Learn more about awards and recognition from the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs online. For additional information about faculty and staff development and success initiatives, please visit provost.wayne.edu/resources/facultysuccess.