Awards and Accolades
By Luci Lobin, University CommunicationsThree U of A Faculty elected AAAS Fellows
Three University of Arizona faculty members have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The honor, awarded annually by vote of the AAAS membership, recognizes researchers for their contributions to their fields.
The 2025 class of fellows were chosen for their demonstrated research excellence, delivery of important community services, and their contributions to advance science. The 449 fellows will be celebrated at the annual Fellows forum in Washington D.C. on May 29.
(From left) Marvin Slepian, Valerie Trouet and Vicente Talanquer will be honored at the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows Forum in Washington D.C. in May.
Winners representing the U of A are listed below.
Dr. Marvin Slepian, Regents Professor of medicine and biomedical engineering, was cited for his distinguished contributions to the field of cardiovascular bioengineering. His laboratory recently developed the first biodegradable coronary stent and pioneered a new technique called "arterial paving."
Valerie Trouet, professor in the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, has been recognized for her contributions to the fields of paleoclimatology, dendrochronology, climate change and science communication. Her current projects include studying forest fire history to inform prescribed burning and effective fire management and using an X-ray CT scanner to measure the density of tree-rings.
Vicente Talanquer, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, was cited for his groundbreaking research on student reasoning in chemistry. One of his current projects involves using an interactive artificial intelligence tool to understand how best to support college students' reasoning in and with chemistry.
Read more about the honors in a story on the university's news website.
Two U of A Professors Nationally Recognized in the Book Awards
Nolan Cabrera
The American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education will honor two University of Arizona professors with book awards on March 28, adding to a growing list of accolades for both scholars.
Lillian Gorman
Nolan Cabrera, professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies and Practice, won the AAHHE Book of the Year Award in the Senior Scholar category. The award recognizes a senior scholar whose career shows a high level of productivity and excellence. Cabrera's book "Banned! The Fight for Mexican American Studies in the Streets and the Courts" examines the fight over Mexican American studies in Tucson, drawing on Cabrera's long-standing research on race, equity, ethnic studies, and higher education.
Lillian Gorman, associate professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, won the Book of the Year Award in the Mid-Career category. Her book "Zones of Encuentro" analyzes language ideologies, identity formation and language practices.
Cabrera and Gorman received their awards in March at an AAHHE conference in San Diego.
Cabrera also recently won the 2026 Outstanding Public Communication of Education Research Award from the American Educational Research Association. That award recognizes scholars for their ability to communicate the importance of education research to the broader public.
U of A professor honored by Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation
Jamie A. Lee
The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation recognized Jamie A. Lee, associate dean of faculty affairs in the College of Information Science, with the Godat Award at its OutBrunch event on March 15.
The Godart Award recognizes extraordinary long-term contributions to the Southern Arizona LGBTQ+ community.
Lee founded the Arizona Queer Archives in 2008 with support from the Alliance Fund, the archive is a vital community resource, collecting, preserving, and sharing the histories of Arizona's LGBTQ+ communities.
Read more about the honor in a story on the College of Information Science website.
AMMNRE Museum display awarded 'Best Museum Exhibit' at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show
The Arizona Mining, Mineral and Natural Resources Education Museum was awarded the Betty & Clayton Gibson Memorial Trophy for Best Museum Exhibit at the 71st annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show in February.
Catie Sandoval, senior curator at the Arizona Mining, Mineral and Natural Resources Education Museum, stands with the award-winning "Museums: The Spirit of America" exhibit.
The award honors an exhibit designed with education in mind. The "Museums: The Spirit of America" exhibit was developed by museum curator Catie Sandoval, who used museum data and collections to spotlight museums' ability to preserve objects and stories, inspire curiosity and learning, and strengthen communities. Using real museum data and collections, the display features specimens showcasing Arizona's gold and silver mining history, non-metal mineral commodities and minderals needed for a rapidly changing modern society.
The Arizona Mining, Mineral and Natural Resources Education Museum is a redevelopment of the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum under the University of Arizona's Office of Research and Partnerships. The museum is in the development and renovation stage and is not yet open.
Read more about the honor and see photos of the collection on the museum's website.