Awards and Accolades
By Jade Norden, University Marketing and CommunicationsThree U of A faculty honored by Ecological Society of America
Two U of A faculty received 2026 Ecological Society of America awards, while a third was named an ESA fellow.
From left: Brian Enquist, Margaret Evans, Donald Falk
Brian Enquist, professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, received the Robert H. MacArthur Award, recognizing an established mid-career ecologist for their exceptional contributions to ecology and commitment to continue outstanding research. Enquist’s work has helped transform plant ecology into a more predictive, trait-based science and fostered an international community dedicated to integrative ecological research.
Margaret E. K. Evans, associate professor at the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, received the George Mercer Award for an Outstanding Paper by An Early-Career Researcher. The paper, by Evans, Daniel L. Perret and Dov F. Sax, addressed whether ecological change across spatial climate gradients can help predict how ecosystems will respond to climate change over time.
Donald Falk, professor emeritus in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment, was elected ESA fellow, selected for his significant contributions to ecological research, communication, education, management and policy. Falk’s research focuses on fire history, fire ecology and ecological resilience and their roles in adapting to a rapidly changing world.
ESA is the world's largest community of professional ecologists, sharing ecological information through policy, media outreach and education initiatives to advance the understanding of life on Earth. The organization presented the awards in July at its annual meeting in Salt Lake City.
Student Unions earns NACUFS awards
The newly renovated Campus Crust received a silver medal in the Renovation of the Year category from the National Association of College and University Food Services.
Arizona Student Unions received several awards from the National Association of College and University Food Services during its national convention in New Orleans in July.
The awards recognize excellence in collegiate dining and outstanding nutrition and wellness programs.
The awards include:
The “Desert After Dark” menu at the Festival of Books received a gold medal and overall grand prize in the Catering Special Event of the Year category.
Campus Crust won a silver medal in the Renovation of the Year category.
The “MindFull – Food for Thought” program received a silver medal in the Special Diet Program of the Year category.
The dish “Thai Red Curry Tofu and Butternut Squash with Cauliflower Rice” received a silver medal in the Special Diet Recipe of the Year category.
NACUFS provides programming, resources, best practices and networking to support excellence in collegiate dining.
Michael Kothke
Michael Kothke receives American Institute of Architects award
Michael Kothke, professor of practice in the School of Architecture, and his partner, Kathy Hancox, received a national American Institute of Architects Interior Architecture Award, which recognizes excellence in architecture.
Their residential renovation Casa Luce reimagined a Tucson home through adaptive reuse, sustainable design and a stronger connection to the Sonoran Desert.
AIA, the largest design organization in the world, works to support a zero-carbon, resilient and equitable environment.
Read a story about the award on the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture website.
Theodore Buchholz named ON Media's Arts Hero
Theodore Buchholz
Theodore Buchholz, professor in the School of Music and founding director of the U of A String Project, was recognized by ON Media as a 2025-2026 Tucson Arts Hero.
The recognition honors individuals for their dedication to arts education and community engagement.
As head of strings at the U of A and founder of the Tucson Cello Congress, Buchholz has strengthened Tucson’s string community by supporting students, musicians and the next generation of performers.
ON Media provides publications that support the arts, tourism and golf industries in Arizona.