TAMU Law Prof. Tim Mulvaney honored as 2020 Chancellor EDGES Fellows

Through this fall semester 36 esteemed Texas A&M University faculty have been honored with some of the highest awards at the university in recognition of their teaching, research, and scholarly work. The awards faculty are being recognized for include the Chancellor Enhancing Development and Generating Excellence in Scholarship (EDGES) Fellows, Eminent Scholar Award, Presidential Impact Fellows, Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence Award, and University Professorships for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence. More information on each award and the recipients can be found below.

Enhancing Development and Generating Excellence in Scholarship (EDGES) Fellows

Nineteen distinguished Texas A&M University faculty have been honored as 2020 Chancellor EDGES Fellows.

Launched in 2019, the fellowships were developed with resources from Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp to honor, incentivize, and boost mid-career faculty at the associate or early full professor rank who are making significant marks in their discipline. The recognition highlights Texas A&M’s intentional commitment to intensively support, retain, and recognize faculty with significant and sustained accomplishments and the promise of continued high-impact scholarship.

The 2020 EDGES Fellows named to date this year are:

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

• Dr. Ping He, Professor of Biochemistry & Biophysics
• Dr. Libo Shan, Professor of Biochemistry & Biophysics

College of Architecture

• Dr. Kunhee Choi, Associate Professor of Construction Science

College of Education and Human Development

• Dr. Kausalai Wijekumar, Professor of Teaching, Learning and Culture

College of Engineering

• Dr. Melissa Grunlan, Professor of Biomedical Engineering
• Dr. Le Xie, Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Engineering

College of Geosciences

• Dr. Sarah Brooks, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences

College of Liberal Arts

• Dr. Kenny Easwaran, Associate Professor of Philosophy
• Dr. Sonia Hernandez, Associate Professor of History

College of Medicine

• Dr. Jiang Chang, Professor of the Institute of Biotechnology
• Dr. D. Samba Reddy, Professor of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics

College of Science

• Dr. Alexei Safonov, Professor of Physics and Astronomy
• Dr. Joseph Sorg, Professor of Biology

College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

• Dr. Gregory Johnson, Professor of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences
• Dr. William Murphy, Professor of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Mays Business School

• Dr. Michael Withers, Associate Professor of Management

School of Law

• Mr. Tim Mulvaney, Professor of Law

School of Public Health

• Dr. Ellisa Lisako Jones-McKyer, Professor of Health Promotion & Community Health Sciences

Texas A&M University at Galveston

• Dr. R. J. David Wells, Associate Professor of Marine Biology

More information about this year’s EDGES Fellowship recipients are available here.

Eminent Scholar Award

The Aggie Women Network (AWN) at Texas A&M University has selected Jyotsna Vaid as the recipient of the prestigious 2020 Eminent Scholar Award. The award is given jointly by AWN and the Texas A&M University Office of the President. Vaid is a professor of cognition and cognitive neuroscience and women’s and gender studies and is director of the Language and Cognition Laboratory.

In 2011, the Aggie Women Network proposed creating an award specifically for the dedicated women faculty of Texas A&M. The first award was given in 2012. It was established to honor the extraordinary women faculty who serve as role models for all Aggie students.

More information about the 2020 Eminent Scholar Award recipient is available for viewing here.

Presidential Impact Fellows

Eleven eminent Texas A&M University faculty have been honored among the 2020 Presidential Impact Fellows. The fourth class of Presidential Impact Fellows joins more than 65 colleagues recognized in prior years with one of the most prestigious scholarly impact awards presented to Texas A&M faculty. The award was initiated by President Michael K. Young to recognize rising stars in their respective fields and those who embody the university’s commitment to advancing knowledge through transformational learning, discovery, innovation, and impact for Texas and the world. 

The 2020 Presidential Impact Fellows include: 

 Bush School of Government and Public Service 

• Dr. Kalena Cortes, Associate Professor of Public Service and Administration 

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 

• Dr. Chaodong Wu, Professor of Nutrition  
• Dr. Xiuren Zhang, Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics 

College of Architecture 

• Dr. Galen Newman, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning 

College of Education and Human Development 

• Dr. Jia Wang, Professor of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development 

College of Engineering 

• Dr. James Caverlee, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering 
• Dr. Le Xie, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering 

College of Liberal Arts 

• Dr. Amy Earhart, Associate Professor of English 
• Dr. Theresa Morris, Professor of Sociology 

College of Science 

• Dr. Lei Fang, Associate Professor of Chemistry 
• Dr. Christine Merlin, Associate Professor of Biology 

More details about this year’s Presidential Impact Fellows are available for viewing here. 

Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence Award

Texas A&M University has selected two faculty members for the 2020 Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence (PPTE) Award, the most prestigious faculty honor bestowed by the university. Claire Katz, professor of philosophy and Murray and Celeste Fasken Chair in Distinguished Teaching in the College of Liberal Arts, and Asha Rao, instructional assistant professor of biology in the College of Science, are this year’s award winners.

The award is conferred upon distinguished faculty by Texas A&M President Michael K. Young and reflects the recipients’ stellar career and accomplishments in accelerating and advancing knowledge in the classroom.

“Transformational learning is imperative to the success of Texas A&M University and the potential for our students to change the world,” Young said. “I am proud to recognize the excellent teaching of Dr. Katz and Dr. Rao with this honor.”

More details about this year’s PPTE award recipients are available for viewing here.

University Professorships for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence (UPUTE)

Three members of the Texas A&M faculty were honored with the University Professorships for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence. The award is conferred upon the most distinguished instructors of undergraduate students at Texas A&M and underscores their uncommon excellence and devotion to teaching. Recipients are lauded for their innovations in pedagogy, exploring new teaching methods, and skills for engaging students. 

 The 2020 recipients are:

• Dr. Xenophon Koufteros, professor, Information and Operations Management, Mays Business School — Eppright Professorship in Undergraduate Teaching Excellence
   
• Dr. Erick Moreno-Centeno, associate professor, Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering— Eppright Professorship in Undergraduate Teaching Excellence
   
• Dr. David Sparks, professor, Geology and Geophysics, College of Geosciences —Thaman Professorship in Undergraduate Teaching Excellence. 

 These professorships are made possible through generous endowments by George and Irma Eppright, and Arthur J. and Wilhelmina Doré Thaman. 

More information about this year’s University Professorships for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence recipients is available for viewing here.