All Articles

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is pleased to celebrate its exemplary faculty and staff by announcing the 2021 Liberal Arts and Sciences and Iowa State University award recipients.

Recipients will be formally recognized at the LAS Fall Convocation on September 7, 2021.

2021 Iowa State University award winners

Three faculty members were named Distinguished Professor: Dean Adams, professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Carolyn Cutrona, professor in the Department of Psychology and Reuben Peters, professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. The title of Distinguished Professor, first awarded in 1956, is the highest academic honor the university bestows. It recognizes a faculty member whose accomplishments in research or creative activities have had a significant impact on his or her discipline, and who has demonstrated outstanding performance in at least one other area of faculty responsibility. Nominees must hold the rank of professor and have served for at least five years prior to the current year on the Iowa State faculty. The awardee retains the title for the remainder of his or her career at the university.

One faculty member was named University Professor: Michael Golemo, professor in the Department of Music and Theatre. The title of University Professor is awarded to a faculty member who has acted as a change agent by having made significant contributions to improve the university, and who has demonstrated outstanding performance in at least one other area of faculty responsibility. Nominees must hold the rank of professor and have served for at least 10 years prior to the current year on the Iowa State faculty. The awardee retains the title for the remainder of his or her career at the university.

One faculty member was named Morrill Professor: Charles Kostelnick, professor in the Department of English. The title of Morrill Professor recognizes faculty members whose professional work has demonstrated outstanding success in teaching and learning in undergraduate, graduate and/or Extension/outreach programs which is reflected by a national or international reputation in the nominee’s discipline. Nominees must hold the rank of professor and have served for at least five years prior to the current year on the Iowa State University faculty. The awardee retains the title for the remainder of his or her career at the university.

Sixteen individuals were selected for the following university awards:

ISU Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching
Jonathan Tsou, associate professor, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
Erin Wilgenbusch, associate teaching professor, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication

ISU Award for Early Achievement in Research
Robbyn Anand, assistant professor, Department of Chemistry

ISU Regents Award for Faculty Excellence
Michael Bailey, professor, Department of History
Lynn Clark, professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology

ISU Award for Early Achievement in Departmental Leadership
Volker Hegelheimer, professor and chair, Department of English

Margaret Ellen White Graduate Faculty Award
Thomas Holme, professor, Department of Chemistry

ISU Award for Outstanding Achievement in Departmental Leadership
Frank Krennrich, professor and chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy

ISU Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research
John Levis, professor, Department of English
Christian Meissner, professor, Department of Psychology

ISU Award for Early Achievement in Teaching
Cason Murphy, assistant professor, Department of Music and Theatre

Regents Award for Faculty Excellence
Donna Niday, associate professor, Department of English

James Huntington Ellis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Introductory Teaching
Kate Padgett-Walsh, associate professor, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
Shenglan Zhang, associate professor, Department of World Languages and Cultures

ISU Award for Interdisciplinary Team Research
Adisak Sukul, associate teaching professor, Department of Computer Science
Heike Hofmann, professor, Department of Statistics

2021 Liberal Arts and Sciences award winners

Cassling Family Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching
John Lajoie, professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Cassling Family Faculty Award for Early Achievement in Teaching
Cason Murphy, assistant professor Department of Music and Theatre

Ruth W. Swenson Award for Outstanding Advising
Jessica Hansen-Moench, academic advisor, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication

Shakeshaft Master Teacher in Humanities and Social Sciences
William Carter, associate professor, Department of World Languages and Cultures

LAS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research
Jae-Kwang Kim, professor, Department of Statistics
Yan Zhao, professor, Department of Chemistry

LAS Award for Mid-Career Achievement in Research
Chunhui Chen, professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Mohan Gupta, associate professor, Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology
Lily Wang, professor, Department of Statistics

LAS Award for Early Achievement in Research
Hua Bai, assistant professor, Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology
Chaoqun (Crystal) Lu, assistant professor, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology
Jacqueline Reber, assistant professor, Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences

LAS Award for Early Achievement in Departmental Leadership
Dan Nettleton, distinguished professor and chair, Department of Statistics

LAS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Extension or Professional Practice
David A.M. Peterson, professor, Department of Political Science

LAS Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Introductory Teaching
Alexander Hall, Department of World Languages and Cultures
Adisak Sukul, associate teaching professor, Department of Computer Science

LAS Award for Early Achievement in Teaching
Laura Brown, assistant professor, Department of English
Gary Sawyer, assistant teaching professor, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
Courtney Wilson, assistant teaching professor Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

LAS Award for Excellence in Graduate Mentoring
Jan Lauren Boyles, associate professor, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
K.L. Cook, professor, Department of English

LAS Award for Early Achievement in Academic Advising
Kelsie Poe, academic advisor, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication

LAS Award for Inclusive Excellence
Xuan Hien Nguyen, associate professor, Department of Mathematics

LAS P&S Excellence Award
Venita Currie, senior manager budget and finance, Liberal Arts and Sciences Administration

LAS Award for Learning Community Leadership
Brenna Dixon, associate teaching professor, Department of English

LAS Merit Excellence Award
Sarah Kallsen, secretary, Department of Psychology
Halyna Mudryk, laboratory technician, Department of Chemistry

LAS International Service Award
Jean-Pierre Taoutel, associate teaching professor, Department of World Languages and Cultures

To view a historical list of LAS and University awards, dating back to 1964, click here.