The 兔子先生 is renowned for attracting world-class faculty, who encourage
students and elevate UH鈥檚 reputation as a top tier institution of higher education.
This week, UH celebrated the efforts of those professors who have gone above and beyond their roles as educators in demonstrating a commitment to both campus and community. The 2024 Faculty Awards were presented on Thursday, April 25 to spotlight excellence in teaching, research and service.
鈥淥ur Faculty Award recipients represent just some of the many outstanding professors and academic leaders on our campus,鈥� said UH Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Diane Z. Chase. 鈥淭heir hard work is essential to our mission and continues to make an impact on campus and in our community.
Among this year鈥檚 award recipients is Zhifeng Ren, Paul C. W. Chu and May P. Chern Endowed Chair in Condensed Matter Physics. Ren earned the Esther Farfel Award, the highest faculty honor at UH.
鈥淩eceiving the Farfel Award increases the pressure for more success,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow
that I finally earned this award, I am inspired to work even harder鈥攂ut more importantly
smarter鈥攖o contribute more to UH and further improve the status of the University.鈥�
Ren came to UH in 2013 after being recruited by Texas Center for Superonductivity UH (TcSUH) Founding Director Paul C. W. Chu. He now serves as the center鈥檚 director and honored Chu by serving as the inaugural speaker for the Paul C. W. Chu and May P. Chern Endowed Lecture Series, in addition to holding the chair named for Chu and his wife.
Ren joins an elite group of UH faculty members who have received the Farfel Award. This honor has been presented annually since 1979 and honors the memory of Esther Farfel, wife of longtime UH System Board of Regents Chair Aaron Farfel.
In addition to Ren, more than 30 members of the University鈥檚 research and instructional faculty were recognized with distinguished awards during a ceremony hosted by Houston Public Media鈥檚 Ernie Manouse.
Details on all faculty awards and criteria are available here, and the full slate of 2024 Faculty Awards recipients and their respective departments are as follows:
Teaching Excellence
Allison Master, Assistant Professor - Psychological, Health and Learning Sciences
Sharon Borja, Assistant Professor - Social Work
Lila Carden, Assistant Professor - Construction Management
Olivia Johnson, Assistant Professor - Human Development and Consumer Sciences
Tracey Ledoux, Associate Professor - Health and Human Performance
Chin-Yo Lin, Associate Professor - Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling / Biology and Biochemistry
Sandra Zalman, Associate Professor - Art
Provost Core
Ann Cheek, Instructional Professor - Biology and Biochemistry
Tai-Yen Chen, Associate Professor - Chemistry
Innovation in Instructional Technology
Bulent Dogan, Clinical Associate Professor - Curriculum and Instruction
Instructional/Clinical
Maureen Grissom, Clinical Associate Professor - Behavioral and Social Sciences
Andra Olivia Miljanic, Instructional Assistant Professor - Management
Cathy Poliak, Instructional Associate Professor - Mathematics
Jahnette Wilson, Clinical Professor - Curriculum and Instruction
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Rand Khalil, Teaching Assistant - English
Lukasz Krzywon, Teaching Assistant - Mathematics
Elliot Lagueux , Teaching Assistant - Biology and Biochemistry
Community Engagement
Monique Mills, Associate Professor - Communication Disorders
Distinguished Leadership in Teaching Excellence
Donna Pattison, Instructional Professor - Biology and Biochemistry
Group Teaching Awards
Paige Evans, Instructional Professor - teachHouston/Mathematics
Jacqueline Ekeoba, Clinical Professor - teachHouston/Mathematics
Ramona Mateer, Clinical Assistant Professor - teachHouston/Mathematics
Rachel Glenn, Master Teacher - teachHouston/Mathematics
Outstanding Graduate Mentor
Jeremy May, Professor - Chemistry
Global
Elizabeth Trujillio, Professor - Law
Undergraduate Research Mentor
Virmarie Correa-Fernandez, Associate Professor - Psychological, Health & Learning Sciences
Jerrod Henderson, Assistant Professor - Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Melissa Zastrow, Assistant Professor - Chemistry
Population Health Publication
Mahbub Hossain, Assistant Professor - Decision and Information Science
Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity
Paul Cirino, Professor- Psychology
Gopal Pandurangan, Professor - Computer Science
Jae-Hyun Ryou, Associate Professor - Mechanical Engineering
Elizabeth Simas, Associate Professor - Political Science
Weiyi Peng, Assistant Professor - Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling / Biology and Biochemistry
Peter Salib, Assistant Professor - Law
Moores Professorship
Mini Das, Professor - Physics
Seema Khurana, Professor - Biology and Biochemistry