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Awards for Distinction in Faculty Scholarly, Creative and Research

The UWF Awards for Distinction in Faculty Scholarly, Creative and Research Activities recognize excellence in the production and impact of research, scholarly, and creative activities by UWF faculty and instructors.


Awards are available to recognize individuals with a distinguished record of research, scholarly, and/or creative achievements at UWF. Such achievements may include, but are not limited to:

  • Production/publication of research, creative, and scholarly products, including manuscripts, books, performances, exhibitions, or displays.
  • Successful engagement in multidisciplinary efforts that culminate in research products.
  • Scholarly activities that engage and inform the community.
  • Demonstrated engagement in the pursuit and securing of external funds to support research or has made a lasting impact on their disciplinary field.

Nomination materials should be submitted by the nominating party via a Qualtrics form by October 9th, 2024.

Full-time faculty (tenure-earning, tenured, or non-tenure-earning) with distinguished records of achievement are eligible for nomination, with the following exceptions:

  • Recipients of the UWF Distinguished University Professorship designation
  • Faculty who have received Faculty Distinguished Scholarly and Creative Activities within the last three years (2021-2023)

As many as six (6) awards are available to recognize individuals with a distinguished record of research, scholarly, and/or creative activities at the University of West Florida. Up to three awards will recognize junior-level faculty or lecturer with six or fewer years of service at UWF. Up to three awards will recognize senior level faculty with seven or more years of service at UWF.

Nomination materials should be submitted by the nominating party via a Qualtrics form by October 9th, 2024.

Nominations are requested from appropriate nominating parties (department chairs, College associate deans, or deans) and should be done in collaboration with the nominee. It is the responsibility of the nominating party to submit the nomination, which will be completed wholly within the associated Qualtrics form and must include the following:

  1. Nomination form: Completed by nominating party (Dean/Associate Dean/Chair) including a brief (1-2 paragraph) describing the research/scholarly/creative accomplishments of, and impact by, the nominee during UWF service
  2. Two-page CV documenting research/scholarly/creative activities, products, and performances at UWF from the past six years. Examples of these research products include research, scholarly, and creative products produced/published, any history of the pursuit of external funding activities (successful and unsuccessful), and research-associated mentoring or community engagement activities. (should be completed by nominee)
  3. One-page narrative from the nominee to include a discussion of the impact of the nominee’s UWF research, scholarly, and creative activities on their research program, students, department, College, discipline, and/or University.

The nominating Chair/Associate Dean/Dean will submit all nomination materials as one nomination packet via the Qualtrics link. Application materials should be completed by the nominating party, with assistance from the nominee.

2024 Recipents

  • Rodney Guttmann, Biology, Senior Faculty
  • Karen Molek, Chemistry, Senior Faculty
  • John Pecore, School of Education, Senior Faculty
  • Shelby Solomon, Business Administration, Junior Faculty

Previous Recipients

Year Award Recipient Name and Department
2023 Senior Faculty Ashok Srinivasan, Computer Science
2023 Senior Faculty Brandy Strahan, School of Nursing
2023 Senior Faculty Joe Spaniola, The Dr. Grier Williams School of Music
2023 Junior Faculty Mengying Xiao, Mathematics and Statistics
2023 Junior Faculty Tarek Youssef, Electrical and Computer Engineering
2022 Senior Faculty Barbara Larson, Art and Design
2022 Senior Faculty Jun Wei, Business Administration
2022 Junior Faculty Hakki Sevil, Intelligent Systems and Robotics
2022 Junior Faculty Jamin Wells, History and Philosophy
2021 Senior Faculty Jocelyn Evans, Reubin O'D. Askew Department of Government
2021 Senior Faculty Phil Darby, Biology
2021 Senior Faculty Debra Vinci, Movement Sciences
2021 Junior Faculty Allysha Winburn, Anthropology
2021 Junior Faculty Christopher Atkinson, Administration and Law
2021 Junior Faculty Katherine Miller-Wolf, Anthropology
2020 Senior Faculty Kevin Kreiger, Accounting and Finance
2020 Junior Faculty Kwame Owusu-Daaku, Earth & Environmental Sciences
2019 Senior Faculty Jim Arruda, Department of Psychology
2019 Senior Faculty Jane Caffrey, Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation
2019 Senior Faculty Arun (Tim) Royappa, Department of Chemistry
2019 Junior Faculty Kimberly Day, Department of Psychology
2019 Junior Faculty Daudet Illunga Tshiswaka, Public Health
2019 Junior Faculty Alexis Janosik, Department of Biology
2019 Junior Faculty Tanay Kesharwani, Department of Chemistry
2014   S. Keller, Marketing & Economics
2014   L. VanWormer, Psychology
2014   C. Thompson, Research & Advanced Studies
2013   J. Caffrey, Biology
2013   W. Huth, Marketing & Economics
2013   L. Yanovskiy, Music
2013   F. Tone, Mathematics & Statistics
2012   Si. Bagui, Computer Science
2012   M. Crow, Criminal Justice
2012   L. Koppes Bryan, Psychology
2012   J. Liebens, Environmental Studies
2011   Su. Bagui, Mathematics & Statistics
2011   E. Bakhoum, Electrical & Computer Engineering
2011   H. Chung, Biology
2011   C. E. Wynn Teasley, Management & MIS
2010   W. Huth, Marketing & Economics
2010   J. Wei, Management & MIS
2010   W. Patterson, Biology
2009 Faculty Distinguished Scholarly and Creative Activities Hedi Salanki-Rubardt, Music Department
2009
Faculty Distinguished Scholarly and Creative Activities James E. Arruda, Psychology Department
2009
External Funding Joe Eugene Lepo, Biology/CEDB
2009 External Funding Kathleen Heubach, Teacher Education
2008 External Funding Susan E. Walch
2008 Scholarly and/or Creative Activities William L. Mikulas
2008 Scholarly and/or Creative Activities Scott B. Keller