Oklahoma State University honored outstanding achievement by faculty and staff Thursday during its University Awards Convocation at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center.
Lee Manzer, marketing professor in the Spears School of Business, and the husband-wife team of Sue and Joe Williams, who each served OSU for more than 35 years, were honored with the Loyal and True Award. The award recognizes individuals who personify the spirit of OSU through unwavering devotion, personal sacrifice and commitment of time and talents.
Gary Foutch, regents professor in Chemical Engineering, received the Eminent Faculty Award, which recognizes the highest level of scholarly achievement at OSU.
Steve Rogers, director of University Health Services; Gerald Horn, professor in Animal Science; Susan Brock, administrative assistant in Design, Housing and Merchandising; and Jody Kennedy, senior manager of business operations in the Graduate College, received the University Service Award.
The winners were:
Phoenix Award for Graduate Faculty
• Lowell Caneday, Regents Professor in the School of Applied Health and Educational Psychology, College of Education
President’s Cup for Creative Interdisciplinarity
First Place team receiving the traveling trophy and $5,000 is the interdisciplinary Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology, Bioinfomatics and Computational Biology with Team Leader Rakesh Kaundal, Assistant Research Scientist in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Team members:
• John Gustafson, Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Ulrich Melcher, Regents Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Peter Hoyt, Associate Research Scientist, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Ramamurthy Mahalingam, Associate Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Ramajulu Sunkar, Associate Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Michael Anderson, Associate Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences
• Gopal Kakani, Assistant Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences
• Subhash Kak, Regents Professor, Computer Science
• Dana Brunson, Director, Research
• H.K. Dai, Associate Professor, Computer Science
• Mark Payton, Regents Service Professor, Statistics
• Lan Zhu, Associate Professor, Statistics
• Joshua Habiger, Assistant Professor, statistics
• Babu Fathepure, Associate Professor, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
• Mike Palmer, Regents Professor, Botany
• Jesse Johnson, Assistant Professor, Mathematics
• Balabhaskar Balasundararm, Associate Professor, Industrial Engineering
• Satish Bukkapatnam, Professor, Industrial Engineering
Second place and $3,000 goes to the Interdisciplinary Program in Space Engineering and Architecture with Team Leader Jamey Jacob, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Team members:
• Steven O’Hara, Professor, Architecture
• Rick Bartholomew, Clinical Assistant Professor, Design, Housing and Merchandising
• Joe Cecil, Associate Professor, Industrial Engineering
• Steve Marks, Professor, Aviation Education
Third place and $2,000 goes to the Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program with Team Leader Carey Pope, Regents Professor, Physiological Sciences. Team members include:
• Loren Smith, Regents Professor, Zoology
• David Wallace, Professor, Pharmacology & Physiology
• Steve Hartson, Associate Research Scientist, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
• Jing Liu Pope, Research Scientist, Physiological Sciences
• Josh Ramsey, Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering
• Ashish Ranjan, Assistant Professor, Physiological Sciences
Regents Distinguished Research Awards
Faculty chosen for this award have a distinguished record of past and continuing excellence in research that is recognized nationally and internationally. This award also carries a $2,000 permanent stipend.
• Leon Spicer, Professor of Animal Science, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
• Loren Smith, Regents Professor of Zoology, College of Arts and Sciences
• Randall Stroope, Associate Professor of Music, College of Arts and Sciences
• Julian Craig Wallace, Associate Professor of Management, Spears School of Business
• Keith Good, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
• Amanda Morris, Professor of Human Development & Family Science, College of Human Sciences
• Dianne McFarlane, Associate Professor of Physiological Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
• Frank Champlin, Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Center for Health Sciences
Regents Distinguished Teaching Award
These awards recognize meritorious achievement in the instruction of students and also include a $2,000 permanent Stipend.
• Garey Fox, Professor, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
• Paul Compton, Associate Professor of Music, College of Arts and Sciences
• Thad Leffingwell, Professor of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences
• Dursun Delen, Professor of Management Science and Information Systems in the Spears School of Business
• Stephen Wanger, Associate Professor in the School of Educational Studies, College of Education
• Manjunath Kamath, Professor of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, Architecture, & Technology
• Stephen Clarke, Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Sciences
• Mike Lorenz, Regents Service Professor, Clinical Sciences at the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
• Billy Meek, Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the Center for Health Sciences
Merrick Foundation Teaching Award
This award is given each year to a faculty member who is judged to bring to his or her students a better understanding and appreciation of the American economic system.
• Tieming Liu, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Outreach Faculty Excellence Award
given to honor the outstanding contributions of a faculty member to the outreach mission of the university.
• Betty Simkins, Professor of Finance in the Spears School of Business
International Education Faculty Excellence Award
established to recognize faculty members who have integrated an international perspective into their teaching, research and outreach.
• Jeanne Homer, Associate Professor of Architecture in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Sigma Xi Young Investigator Award
presented by OSU researchers to recognize a scientist in the early stages of his or her career who has begun to establish a notable research program.
• Jesse Johnson, Assistant Professor in Mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences
Oklahoma Medal for Excellence
Earlier this year one of our outstanding faculty members was recognized for excellence in teaching at an Oklahoma research university during a state-wide competition sponsored by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence.
• Richard Bunce, Professor of Chemistry
newly appointed regents professors
These individuals have been judged by their peers to have made outstanding contributions in their discipline through resident instruction, research or other scholarly activities, and extension or outreach activities.
• Jayson Lusk, Agricultural Economics, Division of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources
• Clinton Krehbiel, Animal Science, Division of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources
• Samuel Fuhlendorf, Natural Resource Ecology & Management, Division of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources
• Ziad El Rassi, Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences
• Jiahong Wu, Mathematics, College of Arts and Sciences
• John Chaney, Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences
• Robert Baron, Entrepreneurship, Spears School of Business
• Nancy Betts, Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Sciences
• Philip Kenkel, Agricultural Economics, Division of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources
• Khaled Gasem, Chemical Engineering
Excellence in Advising Award
• Mark Johnson, Associate Professor of Animal Science, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
• James Puckette, Associate Professor of Geology, College of Arts and Sciences
• Michelle Redmond, Senior Academic Counselor, Student Success Center, Spears School of Business
• Lucy Bailey, Associate Professor, School of Educational Studies, College of Education
• “Baski” Balasundaram, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
• Carol Beier, Assistant Director of Dietetics, College of Human Sciences
• Tiffany Nixon, Senior Academic Counselor, Learning and Student Success Opportunity Center, Division of Academic Affairs
• Jonathan Comer, Professor of Geography, College of Arts & Sciences
• Linda O’Brien, Administrative Support Specialist in Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Sciences
• Robin Wilson, Director of Student Academic Services in the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
• Kevin Seymore, Senior Academic Counselor in the Department of Psychology, College of Art and Sciences
Sternberg Land Grant Awards
presented to individuals whose exemplary contributions promote the land-grant mission of our institution.
• staff award — Nancy Trench, Computer Specialist in Fire Protection Publications
• faculty award — Sue Jacobs, Professor in Counseling and Counseling Psychology in the College of Education
• team award is presented this year to Deana Hildebrand, Associate Professor; AND Kevin Fink and Christi Erwin, Grant Coordinators, in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Sciences.
Leave the Ladder Down Awards
presented to a faculty member and a staff member who have successfully mentored and encouraged those with whom he/she works or instructs to reach their fullest potential.
• faculty member — J. Robert “Bob” Kropp, Professor of Animal Science, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
• staff recipient — Laura “L.J.” Bernhard, Student Success Coordinator, Department of Animal Science
University Service Awards
Presented to a faculty member, a staff member, and an administrator for meritorious service to Oklahoma State University.
• administrator — Stephen Rogers, Director of University Health Services
• faculty award — Gerald Horn, Professor in the Department of Animal Science, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
• staff member — Susan Brock, Administrative Assistant in the Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising, College of Human Sciences
• staff member — Jodie Kennedy, Senior Manager of Business Operations in the Graduate College
Eminent Faculty Award
recognizes the highest level of scholarly achievement at OSU. This award was initiated and sponsored by several distinguished alumni – the late willard sparks, along with funding provided by Ann and Jim Vining of Memphis, Tennessee.
• Gary Foutch, Regents Professor of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
remaining finalists for this year’s Eminent Faculty Award. The screening and selection committees for this year’s award noted the difficult time they had identifying this year’s recipient based on the significant contributions all three finalists have had in their disciplines.
• Wade Brorsen, Regents Professor in Agricultural Economics, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
• David Meinke, Regents Professor in the Department of Botany, College of Arts & Sciences
Loyal and True Award
Presented infrequently and, when given, is to an individual who personifies the spirit of OSU through unwavering devotion, personal sacrifice and commitment of time and talents well above and beyond what is reasonably expected.
• Lee Manzer, Spears School of Business
A core mission of the university and each educator is to make a positive difference in the lives of young people. In the course of teaching, Manzer imparts wisdom – wisdom about life, how to grow, how to be successful while still caring about people around you, how personal integrity and responsibility are the most vital qualities a person can possess.
In his career, Manzer has taught over 23,000 students and is the beneficiary of more than a dozen undergraduate teaching awards. Professor Manzer is recognized by students and colleagues as an exceptional teacher because he changes lives. Students learn from what he says, how he says it, how he motivates, and most importantly how he interacts with them.
Manzer is a nationally recognized expert on service implementation and has presented service quality, goal setting, and leadership material to over 300 profit and not-for-profit organizations, including energy and petrochemical companies, manufacturing firms, financial institutions and public service agencies.
• husband and wife team, Joe and Sue Williams, who have actively served OSU for more than 35 years each.
Joe Williams served in a teaching and research capacity in the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources for much of his career. His research and outreach efforts dealt primarily with farm management economics with a focus on swine economics, but his true passion has always been students and the classroom.
Over the years Joe taught dozens of courses including agribusiness, farm and ranch management, mathematical programming and a senior seminar. he advised over 500 students who went on to complete their degree and many credit Professor Williams with much of their life and career success.
Sue Williams has also had a positive and transformative impact on the individuals and organizations with whom she has worked. Sue’s work on public policy education and leadership development has had a major impact throughout the state and nation. She has published and presented her work extensively at the national level, and because of her recognized expertise in these areas she has been asked to serve as a national consultant. Sue also played central leadership roles in the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.
At the university level, Sue’s leadership has had a broad impact. After progressing successfully through the faculty ranks, Sue was called upon to serve in numerous leadership roles, including department head three separate times – – two of which occurred following her retirement from OSU. Sue served twice as the department head of Human Development and Family Sciences and is currently serving as interim head of the School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration.
