Academic Recognition Ceremony celebrates faculty, staff excellence

June 12, 2024

Following the winter 2024 semester, faculty and academic staff from across campus were celebrated for their contributions to the university, academic community and professional development. Faculty and staff members were recognized at the annual Academic Recognition Ceremony.

"I’m so impressed by our incredible faculty and staff, whose dedication is critical as we work together to fulfill the shared promise in our Prosperity Agenda to better the lives of our students, push the boundaries of knowledge further, and strengthen the bonds that interconnect Wayne State and our community,” said President Kimberly Andrews Espy, Ph.D. “Their efforts are propelling Wayne State’s future.”

“Wayne State’s faculty and staff continue to go above and beyond to support Wayne State University’s core mission of providing a world-class education and being an engine for opportunity,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Laurie Lauzon Clabo. “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.”

President’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching 

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

Ronald Brown, professor, Department of Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Erin Carmany, associate professor (clinical), Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics in the School of Medicine
Simone Chess, associate professor, Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Helen Durand, associate professor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science in the College of Engineering
Katie MacDonald, assistant professor (teaching), James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History and Design in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
Andrea Matti, assistant professor (teaching), Department of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Tim Moran, assistant professor (teaching), Irvin D. Reid Honors College
Sylvia Taschka, associate professor (teaching), Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Caisheng Wang, professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering
Mary Width, associate professor (teaching), Department of Nutrition & Food Service in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Charles H. Gershenson and Board of Governors Distinguished Faculty Fellowships

The Charles H. Gershenson and Board of Governors Distinguished Faculty Fellowships 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

Moh Malek, professor, Department of Health Care Sciences in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Claude Pruneau, professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Board of Governors Distinguished Faculty Fellowship

Kirsten Matoy Carlson, professor, Law School
Carolyn Loh, professor, Department of Urban Studies and Planning in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Board of Governors Faculty Recognition Awards

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 constitutes an outstanding contribution to scholarship and learning.

Maik Hüttemann, professor, Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics in the School of Medicine
Daniel Isaksen, professor, Department of Mathematics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Michelle Jacobs, associate professor, Department of Sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Daniel Kashian, professor, Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Kidada Williams, professor, Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Murray E. Jackson University Creative Scholar in the Arts Award

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. This year's recipient is Norah Duncan IV, professor, Department of Music in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts.

Career Development Chair

Career development chairs are awarded to as many as eight 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.

Helen Durand, associate professor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science in the College of Engineering
Michael Fuhlhage, associate professor, Department of Communication in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
Sarah Lenhoff, associate professor, Division of Administrative and Organizational Studies in the College of Education
Julie Lesnik, associate professor, Department of Anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Samantha Noël, associate professor, James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History and Design in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
Aaron Rury, associate professor, Department of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Marianna Sadagurski, associate professor, Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Chun Shen, associate professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Distinguished Service Award

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 Veronica Bielat, librarian IV, University Libraries.

Outstanding Contributor Award

This award is presented in recognition of significant accomplishments during the previous academic year and emerging leadership among junior academic staff.

Geoffrey Jones, academic services officer II, School of Social Work
Lauren Orr, academic advisor II, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

General Education Teaching Award

This award recognizes instructors at all levels who have demonstrated excellence.

Lauren Duquette-Rury, associate professor, Department of Sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Peter Marra, assistant professor (teaching), Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Felice Sperone, assistant professor (teaching), Department of Environmental Science and Geology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Community Engagement Award

This award recognizes full-time or part-time faculty member(s), academic staff member(s), or faculty-staff team(s) in recognition of community-based research, creative activities, teaching and service collaborations that positively impact both the community and scholarship.

Rhonda Dailey, assistant professor (research), Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences in the School of Medicine

Joseph Fava, assistant professor (clinical), Department of Pharmacy Practice in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Holly Feen-Calligan, professor, Division of Theoretical and Behavioral Foundations in the College of Education
Saeed Khan, associate professor (teaching), Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Tareq Ramadan, adjunct professor, Department of Anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Krysta Ryzewski, chair in the Department of Anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Academy of Teachers 2023-24 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 strives 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. It also works 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.

Mohsen Ayoobi, associate professor, Division of Engineering Technology in the College of Engineering
Lisabeth Hock, associate professor, Department of Classical and Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Katie MacDonald, assistant professor (teaching), James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History and Design in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
Katheryn Maguire, professor, Department of Communication in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
MaryAnne Stewart, assistant professor (clinical), Department of Medical Laboratory Science in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award

This award recognizes outstanding scholarly activities that have contributed significantly to WSU’s graduate programs. This year’s recipient is Jazlin Ebenezer, professor, Division of Teacher Education in the College of Education.

Outstanding Graduate Mentor

This award honors graduate faculty who are recognized by their departments and their graduate students as excellent mentors.

Donovan Hohn, professor, Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Zhenfei Liu, assistant professor, Department of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Jessica Robbins-Panko, associate professor, Department of Anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Ryan Thummel, associate professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences in the School of Medicine

Outstanding Graduate Director Service Awards

These 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 of graduate directors in advancing graduate education in their programs.

Jeremy Kodanko, associate professor, Department of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Robert Wessells, associate professor, Department of Physiology in the School of Medicine
Zhengping Yi, professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Garrett T. Heberlein Endowed Awards for Excellence in Teaching

This award recognizes 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.

Iryna Hatala, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Kristi Morris, Ph.D. candidate, Department of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

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