Faculty excellence in teaching, research, service in spotlight

by | Sep 16, 2015

The award recipients include (from left) Christopher Spilling, Sanjiv Bhatia, Lauren Obermark, Susan Brownell, Kimberly Baldus, W. Howard McAlister and Brian Lawton.
2015 2015 Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence and Gerald and Deanne Gitner Excellence in Teaching Award winners

The faculty recipients of the 2015 Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence and Gerald and Deanne Gitner Excellence in Teaching Award include (from left) Christopher Spilling, Sanjiv Bhatia, Lauren Obermark (Gitner Award), Susan Brownell, Kimberly Baldus, W. Howard McAlister and Brian Lawton. The awards were handed out at the annual State of the University Address Sept. 16 at UMSL. (Photo by August Jennewein)

Following the annual State of the University Address by University of Missouri–St. Louis Chancellor Tom George on Sept. 16, seven faculty members were recognized for their outstanding work, along with three UMSL staff members.

The Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence, established in 1988 by Chancellor Marguerite Ross Barnett, have become a university tradition. This year’s faculty awards went to:

The celebration also included the Gerald and Deanne Gitner Excellence in Teaching Award, given each year to a UMSL faculty member who is in the early stages of his or her career and demonstrates outstanding and innovative teaching abilities. Lauren Obermark, assistant professor of English, received this year’s Gitner award.

Twenty-five-year service awards were presented to the following faculty members:

  • Priscilla Anne Dowden-White, associate professor, Department of History
  • Michael T. Elliott, associate professor, Department of Marketing
  • Ricardo A. Flores, professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy
  • Aaron Stephen Franzel, assistant clinical professor, College of Optometry
  • Margo Lea Hurwicz, associate professor, Department of Anthropology & Archeology
  • Janet Lynn Lauritsen, curators’ professor, Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice
  • Thomas L. McPhail, professor, Department of Media Studies
  • Keith J. Stine, professor, Department of Chemistry
  • Cathy Vatterott, professor, Department of Educator Preparation, Innovation & Research
  • Gayle A. Wilkinson, professor, Department of Educator Preparation, Innovation & Research

Click here to view Chancellor George’s State of the University presentation.

Media Coverage:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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