LAS faculty and staff to be honored at the 2026 Fall Convocation and Awards Ceremony
| Updated:
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is proud to recognize the exceptional achievements of its faculty and staff. More than 25 individuals have been selected as recipients of the 2026 LAS faculty and staff awards, in recognition of their dedication and impact. Awardees will be celebrated at the LAS Fall Convocation and Awards Ceremony on Monday, Sept. 14, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Memorial Union’s Sun Room.
Dean Withers will deliver the annual State of the College address, followed by the presentation of LAS Awards and recognition of 2026 University Award recipients. A reception will follow. All faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend.
Below are the recipients and the distinctions for which they were nominated and selected.
LAS awards to be presented at the LAS Convocation and Awards Ceremony – Sept. 14
LAS Award for Early Achievement in Teaching (Tenure/Tenure Track Faculty)
Hugo Salgado
Department of World Languages and Cultures
LAS Award for Early Achievement in Teaching (Term Faculty)
Katheryn Anderson
Department of English
LAS Award for Early Achievement in Teaching (Term Faculty)
Mason Koeritz
Department of Chemistry
LAS Award for Early Achievement in Teaching (Term Faculty)
Slyvia Wineland
Department of Mathematics
LAS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching (Tenure/Tenure Track Faculty)
Nell Gabiam
Department of World Languages and Cultures
LAS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching (Tenure/Tenure Track Faculty)
Craig Rood
Department of English
LAS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching (Term Faculty)
Tiffany Antone
Department of Music and Theatre
LAS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching (Term Faculty)
Kevin Kasper
Department of Statistics
LAS Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Introductory Teaching
Natalia Amorin Gil
Department of World Languages and Cultures
LAS Award for Early Achievement in Academic Advising
Ben Noack
Department of Chemistry, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
LAS Award for Impact on Student Success
Maria Charbonneaux
Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
LAS Award for Impact on Student Success (P&S)
Mercedes Serracin
LAS Study Abroad
LAS Award for Impact on Student Success
Marta Vessoni de Lence
Department of World Languages and Cultures
LAS Award for Excellence in Graduate Mentoring
Mohan Gupta
Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology
LAS Award for Excellence in Graduate Mentoring
Mack Shelley
Department of Political Science
LAS Award for Early Achievement in Research
Luana Lamberti
Department of World Languages and Cultures
LAS Award for Mid-Career Achievement in Research
Robbyn Anand
Department of Chemistry
LAS Award for Mid-Career Achievement in Research
Elena Cotos
Department of English
LAS Award for Mid-Career Achievement in Research
Tracy Heath
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
LAS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research
Zlatan Krizan
Department of Psychology
LAS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Departmental Leadership
Theresa Windus
Department of Chemistry
LAS International Service Award
Kelly Shaw
Department of Political Science
LAS P&S Excellence Award
Jennifer Owens
Department of LAS Student Academic Services
LAS P&S Excellence Award
Chanda Skelton
Department of Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology
LAS P&S Outstanding New Professional Award
Lori Krase-Cayton
Department of World Languages and Cultures
LAS P&S Outstanding New Professional Award
Lorrie Ludwig
Department of Computer Science
LAS P&S Outstanding New Professional Award
Candy Miller
Department of English
LAS Award for Institutional Service Award
Samik Basu
Computer Science
LAS Award for Institutional Service Award
Karen Kedrowski
Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics
LAS Award for Learning Community Leadership
Brenda Witherspoon
Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
University awards, which will be presented by President David Cook and Provost Jason Keith at a different ceremony
ISU Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching
Carly Manz
Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology
ISU Award for Mid-Career Achievement in Research
Dipali Sashital
Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology
ISU Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research
Myra Cohen
Department of Computer Science
ISU Award for Early Achievement in Departmental Leadership
Jonathan Kelly
Department of Psychology
Regents Award for Faculty Excellence
Geetu Tuteja
Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology
James Huntington Ellis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Introductory Teaching
Michael Shogren-Knaak
Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology