Lehigh faculty recently gathered for a night of camaraderie and celebration at the annual Faculty Appreciation Banquet held in the Wood Dining Room of Iacocca Hall.
The evening was co-sponsored by The Office of the Provost and The Faculty Senate with the aim of celebrating the dedication, commitment, and passion of Lehigh faculty. Provost Nathan Urban underscored that a university’s success is inextricably linked to the work of its faculty and expressed appreciation for the faculty’s commitment to teaching, research, and service that enable Lehigh to remain a leader in higher education.
Larry Snyder, deputy provost for faculty affairs, served as the evening’s emcee, guiding attendees in celebrating award recipients, newly appointed professorships and chairs, and those who have completed 25 years of service to the university, in addition to remembering members of the Lehigh Faculty community who are no longer with us.
“It’s an honor to serve as an emcee for the Faculty Appreciation Banquet,” Snyder said. “It’s important that we take a pause in our teaching, scholarship, and service to recognize our work and that of our colleagues.”
Ziad Munson, professor of sociology, served as this year’s annual faculty speaker, highlighting the importance of the role of university faculty in educating those who will shape the future of our society, and the critical importance of this work during fraught times in both education and politics.
Faculty Senate chair and professor of earth and environmental sciences, Peter Zeitler, joined the President and Provost in underscoring his appreciation for the passion that the faculty bring to their work.
“It is essential that we gather and celebrate the hard work of our colleagues,” Zeitler said. “Faculty are the lifeblood of a university, and it’s imperative that we take a moment out of the busy academic calendar to recognize, honor, and celebrate that.”
For a full list of award recipients, please see below.
Alfred Noble Robinson Faculty Award
Javad Khazaei, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. This award recognizes faculty who have shown extraordinary enthusiasm for Lehigh’s goals and priorities.
Carl & Ingeborg Beidleman Research Award in Business & Economics
David Peng, professor of Decision and Technology Analytics. This award recognizes quality research and refereed scholarship in business and applied economic disciplines.
Christian & Mary Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching
Melpomene Katakalos, professor of scenic design. This award recognizes a member of the teaching staff for distinguished teaching performed during the academic year.
Deming Lewis Faculty Award
Heather Johnson, associate professor of sociology. This award is presented to the person who was a faculty member while the 10-year reunion class was in school and who is judged by that class—in this case, the class of 2015—to have most significantly influenced their members’ educational experience.
Faith Glazier & Rob Weisstuch Educational Innovation Award
Suzanne Edwards, professor of English and of women, gender, and sexuality studies. This award is presented to a faculty member for work that develops and/or uses innovative educational approaches to improve learning and outcomes for undergraduate or graduate students.
Global Engagement and Internationalization Award
Mariana De Maio, associate professor of journalism and communication. This award honors faculty who have made exemplary contributions to the internationalization of Lehigh University, while advancing the university’s mission of excellent teaching, research, and service.
Hillman Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising
Gideon Gogovi, assistant professor of biostatistics & health data science. This award recognizes exemplary student advising and assistance in the development and/or completion of research related to their degree program.
Hillman Award for Excellence in Graduate Advising
Paolo Bocchini, professor of civil and environmental engineering. This award recognizes exemplary student advising and assistance in the development and/or completion of research related to their degree program.
Hillman Faculty Award
Steve McIntosh, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering. This award recognizes a faculty member who has distinguished themselves through long-term service to the institution.
Inclusive Excellence Faculty Award
Lesley Chow, associate professor of bioengineering and materials science and engineering. This award recognizes and honors a faculty member for outstanding contributions to research, administration, practice, advocacy, and/or policy, and whose work informs and advances the understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence at Lehigh University.
Lehigh Early Career Award for Distinguished Teaching
Zilong Pan, assistant professor of teaching, learning, & technology. This award is given to a member of the teaching staff for distinguished teaching performed during the academic year.
Libsch Early Career Research Award
Sara Kangas, associate professor of special education. This award is presented to a faculty member who is early in their career and who has demonstrated the potential for high-quality research and scholarship.
Libsch Research Award
Elsa Reichmanis, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering. This award is given to recognize excellence in research, scholarship, and/or artistic achievement.
Perry A. Zirkel Award for Distinguished Teaching in Education
Grace Caskie, professor of Education and Human Services. This award recognizes a faculty member in the College of Education who has a national or international reputation as a respected scholar, is respected by students and colleagues for rigor in teaching, and is recognized within the college for having non-inflationary grading standards.
Provost’s Award for Undergraduate Academic Advising
Lori Herz, teaching full professor of bioengineering. This award recognizes a Lehigh faculty member for demonstrated excellence in, and extraordinary contributions to, undergraduate academic advising.
Stabler Award for Excellence in Teaching
Nicole Batchelor, teaching assistant professor of English. This award recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates an exceptional talent for encouraging students to understand alternatives and to make choices, and who knows how to extract from students the full measure of their potential to learn.
Robert & Christine Staub Faculty Excellence Award in Business and Economics
Ludovica Cesareo, assistant professor of marketing. This award is presented to a faculty member who is perceived to have made a positive difference in the lives of students, the college community, or with fellow faculty members.
Provost’s Faculty Citizenship Award
Haiyan Jia, associate professor of journalism and communication. This award honors a faculty member who demonstrates exceptional commitment to the university community through outstanding service and leadership.
Story by Jessica Jackson
