
By Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager for the Office of the Provost
The Office of the Provost is pleased to announce the appointments of Distinguished University Professors and recognitions of faculty achievement and excellence, including an exciting new award listed below.
Distinguished University Professors
Initial Appointment
- Vikas Agarwal, Finance, Robinson College of Business
- Igor Belykh, Mathematics & Statistics, College of Arts & Sciences
- Beth Gylys, English, College of Arts & Sciences
- Alessandra Raengo, School of Film Media & Theatre, College of the Arts
- Veda C. Storey, Computer Information Systems, Robinson College of Business
- Baozhong Wang, Institute for Biomedical Sciences
Reappointment
- John Horgan, Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences
- Balasubramaniam Ramesh, Computer Information Systems, Robinson College of Business
The appointment of Distinguished University Professor at Georgia State is intended to recognize a sustained and outstanding record in scholarship and instruction, and to provide the impetus for continuing high achievement. Distinguished University Professors are expected to serve the university as exemplary faculty members by contributing to its research, instructional, and service missions.
The term of the Distinguished University Professor is five years and may be renewed once upon successful re-application and re-evaluation. No more than 5 percent of the university’s tenured faculty members may hold this title at any time.
A list of previous Distinguished University Professors is available here.
Inaugural Outstanding Non-Tenure Track Faculty Achievement Award
- Amanda Ellwanger, Lecturer of Anthropology at Perimeter College
- Emily Graybill, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Public Health
This new award recognizes a non-tenure track (NTT) faculty member for outstanding achievements in their assigned areas of specialty (scholarship/creative works, teaching, and/or service). It is open to Georgia State faculty members who have been at the institution for at least four years at an NTT faculty rank. Find a list of the eligible ranks as well as additional award criteria here.
Outstanding Faculty Achievement Award
- Jidong Huang, Associate Professor of Health Management & Policy, School of Public Health
This award recognizes a faculty member for outstanding achievements across all three areas of scholarship, teaching and service. It is open to Georgia State graduate faculty members at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank who have been at Georgia State University for at least four years.
A list of previous award winners is available here.
Exceptional Service Award
- Jonathan Gayles, Professor and Chair, Africana Studies, College of Arts & Sciences
- Katherine Masyn, Professor of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Associate Dean for Academic & Faculty Affairs, School of Public Health
This award recognizes faculty members for exceptional, sustained and impactful accomplishments in service. This award competition is open to all Georgia State full-time faculty members who have at least four years of faculty employment at the university.
A list of previous award winners is available here.
Instructional Innovation Award
- Evaristo F. Doria, Senior Lecturer of International Business, Robinson College of Business
This award recognizes innovative teaching practices designed to improve student learning in online, blended, or face-to-face courses. Innovations may include any novel teaching strategy or tool designed to enhance student learning. All full-time Georgia State faculty are eligible to apply.
Find a list of previous winners here.
Instructional Effectiveness Award
- Jennifer Sengin, Lecturer and Associate Director of Choral Activities, School of Music, College of the Arts
This award recognizes instructors who demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching and student success and to share at the university level outstanding approaches in instruction that are creative and effective in engaging students in the learning process. All full-time Georgia State faculty are eligible to apply.
A list of previous winners is available here.
Teaching for Social Justice and Democracy Award
- Ruchi Bhatnagar, Clinical Associate Professor, Early Childhood and Elementary Education, College of Education & Human Development
- Desmond Goss, Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences
The purpose of this award is to recognize and reward instructors who integrate current social justice issues into their courses to better engage Georgia State students in order to help them to develop their social, emotional and expressive capacities. This award recognizes instructional strategies that have been used to successfully incorporate social justice themes into various disciplines and result in positive student outcomes.
Information about previous winners is available here.
Further information about Regents’ Professorships is forthcoming.
Regents’ Professorships are bestowed on the most distinguished faculty of Georgia State, whose scholarly achievements are recognized both nationally and internationally as innovative and renowned. The appointment is made by the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents on recommendation of the university president as per Board of Regents policy manual 8.3.2. Read more about the honor on the Regents website here.
Learn more about previous Georgia State Regents’ Professors here.
More information about faculty awards and honors is available at https://faculty.gsu.edu/for-continuing-faculty/.