Annual faculty/staff awards recognize 27 for outstanding contributions

Annual faculty/staff awards recognize 27 for outstanding contributions

University Park, Pa. -- Each year, the University recognizes faculty and staff for the highest levels of academic excellence, outstanding leadership and meritorious service. The 2007 Faculty/Staff Awards recipients were honored at a formal banquet on March 26. Recognized this year were 27 individuals from across the University system who best exemplify Penn State's commitment to excellence.

Gomez-Calderon, Grebski selected to receive Eisenhower Award for distinguished teaching
Javier Gomez-Calderon, professor of mathematics at Penn State New Kensington, and Wieslaw Grebski, associate professor of engineering at Penn State Hazleton, have been selected for the 2007 Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching. The award recognizes excellence in teaching and student support among tenured faculty who have been employed full time for at least five years with undergraduate teaching as a major portion of their duties. Milton S. Eisenhower, brother of former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, served as president of Penn State from 1950 to 1956.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23179

Four faculty receive 2007 Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching
Four Penn State faculty members have been honored with the 2007 George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award recipients are Gregory Morris, professor of American literature, Penn State Erie; Carol Reardon, professor of military history, Penn State University Park; Nitin Samarth, professor of physics, Penn State University Park; and Doris Turkes, assistant professor of sociology and women's studies, Penn State Berks. The award, named after Penn State's seventh president, was established in 1989 as a continuation of the AMOCO Foundation Award. It honors excellence in teaching at the undergraduate level.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23178

Beierlein, Gill and Houghton named 2007 Penn State Teaching Fellows
James G. Beierlein, professor of agricultural economics, Penn State University Park; Deborah Gill, associate professor of Spanish, Penn State DuBois; and Charlotte M. Houghton, associate professor of art history, Penn State University Park, have each won The Alumni/Student Award for Excellence in Teaching and have been named a 2007 Penn State Teaching Fellow. The Alumni Association, the Undergraduate Student Government and the Graduate Student Association established the Penn State Teaching Fellow Award in 1985. The award honors distinguished teaching and provides encouragement and incentive for excellence in teaching. Recipients are expected to share their talents and expertise with others throughout the University system during the year following the award presentation.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23177

Simpson honored for Excellence in Academic Integration
Timothy W. Simpson, professor of mechanical engineering, industrial engineering and engineering design at Penn State’s University Park campus, has been awarded the 2007 President’s Award for Excellence in Academic Integration. The award is given to a full-time faculty member who has exhibited extraordinary achievement in the integration of teaching, research or creative accomplishment, and service. It was established in 1996 to recognize faculty members who have excelled in all three areas of their profession.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23176

Leach recognized through President’s Award for Engagement with Students
Anthony Leach, associate professor of music/music education in the College of Arts and Architecture, is the recipient of the 2007 President’s Award for Engagement with Students. The award is given to faculty members who exceed their responsibilities to engage and encourage students in learning, demonstrating deep caring and involvement with students’ learning. The honorees have made themselves available to interact with students outside class, link students to opportunities, and help them build their confidence as learners and potential contributors to society.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23175

Looney receives Undergraduate Program Leadership Award
George O. Looney, associate professor of English and creative writing at Penn State Erie, has received the 2007 Undergraduate Program Leadership Award. The award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated exemplary leadership benefiting a Penn State undergraduate degree program. The goal of the award is to recognize those individuals who have major responsibilities for the delivery of undergraduate education within a unit and who are providing leadership that has transformed or revitalized the undergraduate program in some way.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23174

Osgood honored with Faculty Mentoring Award
D. Wayne Osgood, professor of crime, law and justice, has received the 2007 Howard B. Palmer Faculty Mentoring Award. The Palmer Award honors and recognizes outstanding achievement by a faculty member with at least five years of active service who effectively guides junior faculty. Howard Palmer was the senior associate dean of The Graduate School from 1984 to 1991.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23170

Staley receives Graduate Faculty Teaching Award
Christopher P. Staley, professor of art at Penn State’s University Park campus, has received the Graduate Faculty Teaching Award for 2007. The honor, established in 1992 by the Graduate School, is awarded to faculty members in recognition of outstanding teaching performance and advising of graduate students.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23169

Four earn Faculty Scholar medals for 2007
Four Penn State professors have received the 2007 Faculty Scholar Medals for Outstanding Achievement: Matthew Restall, professor of Latin American history, the arts and humanities medal; Ottar Bjornstad, associate professor of entomology, the life and health sciences medal; David S. Weiss, professor of physics, the physical sciences medal; and Darrell Steffensmeier, professor of sociology and crime, law and justice, the social and behavioral sciences medal. Established in 1980, the award recognizes scholarly or creative excellence represented by a single contribution or a series of contributions around a coherent theme. A committee of faculty peers reviews nominations and selects candidates.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23168

Fizel receives Graduate Program Chair Leadership Award
John Fizel, professor of economics at Penn State Erie and chair of Penn State’s iMBA program, is this year’s winner of the Graduate Program Chair Leadership Award. The award honors faculty members for exemplary leadership that benefits graduate students and faculty in an existing graduate program at the University. The award’s design acknowledges the recipient’s efforts to enhance student recruitment, professional development and placement, and mentoring and promotion of faculty and students in the graduate program. The winner works to enhance his program’s diversity, educational quality, resources and national visibility, and promotes professional ethics and its integration into all elements of graduate programming.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23167

Matyasovsky acknowledged with humanitarian service award
Albert E. Matyasovsky, supervisor in Central Support Services of Penn State’s Office of the Physical Plant, is the 2007 recipient of the Barash Award for Human Service. Created in 1975 by the family of the late Sy Barash, the award honors a full-time member of the faculty, staff or student body on the University Park campus who, apart from his or her regular duties, has contributed the most to public service activities and organizations or the welfare of fellow human beings.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23166

Sterganos of Penn State Berks receives award for administrative excellence
James P. Sterganos, senior director of business affairs & chief operating officer at Penn State Berks, has been honored by the University with the 2007 Award for Administrative Excellence. The award, established in 1970, is given annually to a Penn State faculty or staff member whose performance methods and achievements exemplify the highest standards of administrative excellence.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23164

Hayes receives Robinson Equal Opportunity Award
L. Steve Hayes, senior recruiter and coordinator of special programs in Penn State’s Office of Human Resources, has received the Dr. James Robinson Equal Opportunity Award, which recognizes a faculty or staff member who has promoted equal opportunity through affirmative action and/or contributes to enhancing the educational environment of the University through improving cross-cultural understanding. The award is sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23163

Staneva, Ploog recognized with W. LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award
Marieta Staneva, senior lecturer in geography at Penn State Altoona, has received the W. LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award for faculty, and Randy Ploog, coordinator of international programs, College of Arts and Architecture, has received the staff designation of this award. Established in 1995, the W. LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award recognizes one faculty and one staff member who have contributed significantly to the advancement of the international mission of the University. It is named for the late deputy vice president for international programs.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23162

Sims wins faculty outreach award
Barbara A. Sims, associate professor of criminal justice at Penn State Harrisburg, has won the 2007 Penn State Award for Faculty Outreach. The award honors those who have positively and substantially affected individuals, organizations or communities through problem solving or development as a result of extending their scholarship.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23161

Shaw earns Staff Excellence Award
Brenda L. Shaw, administrative assistant III in the Office of the Vice President and Dean for Undergraduate Education, has been selected to receive the 2007 Staff Excellence Award. Established in 1993, this award recognizes consistently outstanding performance of a staff member who has demonstrated and practiced the philosophy of continuous quality improvement, team spirit, managerial excellence in the performance of assigned duties, and leadership in establishing a quality service orientation, so as to benefit his or her unit and the University.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23157

Kanour receives Support Staff Award
Cathy Kanour, human resources assistant in the Work/Life Division of the Office of Human Resources at Penn State’s University Park campus, is the recipient of the 2007 Staff Support Award. The award recognizes the overall high-quality performance of a full-time member of the support staff, and dedication to customer service, quality improvement, teamwork and professionalism.
Read the full story on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu/story/23155