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Outstanding Faculty & Staff Awards 2023

he University of North Florida is proud of the academic and professional accomplishments of its faculty. The many personal and collaborative achievements noted here illustrate the commitment to teaching, scholarship, outreach, and research among members of the university community.

Distinguished Professor Award

The Distinguished Professor Award is presented annually to a University of North Florida faculty member who has a balanced record of distinction at UNF in all three areas of teaching, scholarship, and service. The award includes an honorarium of $6,000, a commemorative plaque, the listing of the recipient's name on a permanent University plaque, and an invitation to deliver the Academic Convocation address. This award is made possible through unrestricted gifts to the UNF Foundation, Inc.

Eligibility:

Any regular, full-time member of the UNF faculty who holds the rank of full or associate professor, is eligible for the award except for past recipients of the award and persons serving on the Screening Committee.

John Hatle headshot  

Distinguished Professor
John Hatle
Department of Biology

Lynn Arriale headshot  

Distinguished Professor Runner-Up
Lynne Arriale
School of Music

Community Engaged Scholarship Award

The University of North Florida wants to recognize faculty members who perform meritoriously in the area of Community Engaged Scholarship.

Eligibility:

Any full-time tenured or tenure-track member of the faculty is eligible to be considered for the Outstanding Faculty Community Engaged Scholarship Award.  No Community Engaged Scholarship awardee shall be eligible for another Outstanding Faculty Community Engaged Scholarship Award until the fifth year following the receipt of the last award.

Dilek Kayaalp headshot

 

Dilek Kayaalp
Department of Teaching, Learing and Curriculum

Outstanding Faculty Service Award

The University of North Florida recognizes faculty members who perform meritoriously in service to the University, the community, and their profession, with a special emphasis on service to the University. Therefore, two Outstanding Faculty Service Awards are made possible through unrestricted gifts to the University of North Florida Foundation. The award includes an honorarium of $2,500 and a commemorative plaque.

Eligibility:

Any full time member of the University of North Florida faculty who has seven years of full-time regular employment at the University is eligible to be considered for an Outstanding Faculty Service Award. Time served in visiting and adjunct positions does not count toward eligibility.

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Elizabeth Brown
Department of Psychology

Heather Truelove headshot  

Heather Truelove
Department of Psychology

Excellence in Online Teaching Award

The University of North Florida recognizes faculty who perform meritoriously in online teaching. To that end, the Excellence in Online Teaching Award shall be given annually in recognition of excellence in online teaching.

The award winner will receive an honorarium of $2,500 and a commemorative plaque. The award is funded by Digital Learning, which reserves the right not to provide the monetary award to any winner who is not a UNF employee at the time of UNF’s Annual Convocation.

Eligibility:

Any regular, full-time member or permanent part-time member of the UNF faculty, who holds an in-rank faculty appointment at UNF and meets the following requirements:

Nilufer Ozdemir headshot  

Nilufer Ozdemir
Department of Economics and Georgraphy

Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award

The University of North Florida recognizes faculty members who perform meritoriously in scholarship. Therefore, four Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Awards are made possible through unrestricted gifts to the University of North Florida Foundation. The award includes an honorarium of $2,500 and a commemorative plaque.

Eligibility:

Any full time member of the University of North Florida faculty who has seven years of full-time regular employment at the University is eligible to be considered for an Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award. Time served in visiting and adjunct positions does not count toward eligibility.

Chitra Balasubramanian headshot  

Chitra K Balasubramanian
Department of Physical Therapy

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Stuart Chalk
Department of Chemistry

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Cliff Ross
Department of Biology

Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award

The Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Awards (10) are to be given in the Spring in recognition of excellence in teaching achieved during the previous two academic years.

Eligibility:

Any full-time member of the UNF regular teaching faculty, who has held a regular faculty appointment at the rank of Laboratory Lecturer with "instructor-of-record" status, Senior Instructor, Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor, for the previous two academic years at UNF, and who has taught at least four (4) undergraduate courses during that time is eligible to be nominated for these awards.

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Asai Asaithambi
School of Computing

 

Vanessa Cruz headshot  

Vanessa Cruz
Department of Art, Art History, and Design

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Brandi Denison
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

Dilek Kayaalp headshot  

Dilek Kayaalp
Department of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum

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Jae-Ho Lee
Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Brittany Nettles headshot  

Brittany Nettles
School of Nursing

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Will Pewitt
Department of English

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Christopher Trice
Department of Art, Art History, and Design

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Adam Rosenblatt
Department of Biology

Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award

The Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award is to be given annually in recognition of excellence in graduate teaching during the previous two academic years.

Eligibility:

Any full-time member of the UNF teaching faculty, who has held an in-rank faculty appointment and has been designated as graduate faculty for the previous two academic years at UNF, and who has taught at least three graduate courses during that time.

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Sericea Stallings-Smith
Department of Public Health

Outstanding Adjunct Teaching Award

The University of North Florida recognizes the importance of adjunct faculty who perform meritoriously in teaching. To that end, the university has made appropriations for Outstanding Adjunct Teaching Awards to be given in the Spring semester in recognition of excellence in teaching achieved during the past three calendar (including summer) terms.


Eligibility:

Any member of the UNF adjunct teaching faculty or clinical adjunct with classroom responsibilities, who has held a faculty appointment as an adjunct instructor or clinical supervisor for at least one semester during each of the three previous calendar years at UNF, and who has taught at least six (6) courses/section during that time is eligible to be nominated for these awards. Clinical Supervision does not equate to course instruction for the purpose of this award. Former Full-time UNF faculty are not eligible for this award. No winner of an Outstanding Adjunct Teaching Award shall be eligible to win another Outstanding Adjunct Teaching Award until the FIFTH year following receipt of the last award.

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Clay Carmichael
Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management

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John Kelly
School of Computing

Meghan Niemczyk headshot  

Meghan Niemczyk
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics

Michael Taylor headshot  

Michael Taylor
School of Music

Presidential Diversity and Inclusion Award

Developed by the UNF Commission on Diversity and Inclusion to acknowledge and honor exemplary efforts that promote, foster and demonstrate understanding and appreciation for advancing and celebrating diversity and inclusion on campus.        

Eligibility:

All UNF faculty, staff and students are eligible.

Nominations may be made by any person and self-nominations are acceptable as long as eligibility criteria are met. Nominators should describe the nominee's commitment, as demonstrated by their exemplary efforts.

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Elizabeth Brown
Department of Psychology
Faculty Awardee
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Tara Frazier
Thrive and SAS
Staff Awardee

Outstanding and New Advisor of the Year

The Outstanding Undergraduate Academic Advising Award and the New Advisor of the Year Award are presented annually by Academic Affairs to undergraduate advisors who have made outstanding contributions to the field of academic advising for the year preceding the award application.

Eligibility:

Recipients may be nominated by university faculty members, academic advisors, or students, are selected by a committee of former award winners, a faculty member, students, and a university staff.  Advisor of the Year recieves a $1,500 prize and New Advisor of the Year recieves a $500 prize. 

Emily Crossett
New Advisor of the Year
 Undergraduate Studies - Educationosprey on blue background

Alex Lackard
Advisor of the Year
Undergraduate Studies - Arts and Sciences  

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Presidential Professorships

John A. Delaney Presidential Professorship and the Terry Presidential Professorship 

Application (Closed)

Purpose: To recognize and facilitate the scholarly productivity of distinguished faculty.

Eligibility:

Selection Criteria -- Faculty members eligible for such appointment:

  1. must hold tenure at the rank of full Professor at the University of North Florida.
  2. must have a strong record of significant scholarly accomplishment in the form of publications, grants, collaborations, or any discipline-specific index of achievement.
  3. have never held a Presidential Professorship at the University of North Florida.

The Terry Presidential Professorship:

The John A. Delaney Endowed Presidential Professorship:

  • Professor J. Mitch Miller, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, John. A. Delaney Presidential Professor (2020-2023) Read Press Release
  • Professor C. Dominik Guess, Department of Psychology, John A. Delaney Presidential Professor (2017-2020)
  • Professor Kenneth Laali, Department of Chemistry, John A. Delaney Presidential Professor (2014-2017)
  • Professor Andrew Buchwalter, Department of Philosophy, John A. Delaney Presidential Professor (2011-2014) Watch Presidential Professor Lecture
  • Professor David Courtwright, Department of History, John A. Delaney Presidential Professor (2005-2008)

Distinguished Professor Recipients

 

2023 - John Hatle
2022 - Michele Moore
2021 - Mei Zhao
2020 - Gordon M. Rakita 
2019 - David D. Jaffee
2018 - Adel El Safty
2017 - Catherine Christie
2016 - C. Dominik Guss
2015 - Carolyn B. Stone
2014 - Kristine W. Webb
2013 - Judith C. Rodriguez
2012 - Mina Baliamoune-Lutz
2011 - Thomas M. Pekarek
2010 - David Fenner
2009 - Jeffrey Steagall
2008 - Pamela Chally
2007 - Louise Freshman Brown
2006 - Theo Prousis
2005 - Jay Coleman
2004 - William J. Wilson
2003 - Kunisi S. Venkatasubban
2002 - Elizabeth Lane Furdell 
2001 - Charlotte Mabrey
2000 - Chudley E. Werch 
1999 - Richard B. Bizot 
1998 - David T. Courtwright 
1997 - Allen Tilley 
1996 - Daniel L. Schafer
1995 - Jerzy Karylowski
1994 - John C. Maraldo
1993 - William Brown
1992 - James B. Crooks
1991 - Andrew Farkas
1990 - William R. Slaughter
1989 - Steven K. Paulson
1988 - Robert W. Loftin
1987 - Robert J. Drummond
1986 - Gerson Yessin
1985 - Thomas M. Leonard
1984 - Leonard J. Lipkin
1983 - Richard de R. Kip
1982 - Jay Smith
1982 - Linda A. Foley
1981 - Frank S. McLaughlin
1980 - Jay S. Huebner
1979 - Bette J. Soldwedel