Faculty shine in the 2026 Luminaries
By University Marketing and Communications
The annual Luminaries celebration recognizes faculty members for their achievements and contributions to the university and their communities.
Dozens of faculty members, postdoctoral scholars and research associates will be recognized for their achievements in research, teaching, service and mentoring at the 2026 Luminaries: Outstanding Faculty Awards ceremony on Sept. 23 at Centennial Hall.
“Our faculty members are at the heart of what makes the University of Arizona an extraordinary place to learn and grow,” said Provost and Chief Academic Officer Patricia Prelock. “It’s important that we take the time to recognize their accomplishments and the impact they have on our students, their colleagues and the communities we serve. These awards allow us to celebrate that excellence and the people who help move our university forward.”
The annual ceremony celebrates faculty members whose work has made significant contributions to the university, their fields and their communities. This year’s event will recognize recipients of 16 universitywide awards and designations, including University Distinguished Professor, Distinguished Scholar, University Faculty Service and the Margaret M. Briehl and Dennis T. Ray Five Star Faculty Award, the university’s only student-selected faculty award.
Janko Nikolich, associate dean of research in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, also will be recognized at this year’s ceremony as a 2025 Regents Professor. Nikolich was unable to attend last year’s ceremony.
The 2026 Luminaries honorees represent a range of disciplines and areas of expertise across the university. The award recipients are:
University Distinguished Professor
Heidi E. Brown, Program Director and Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Anna Ochoa, Department Head and Professor, Mexican American Studies
University Distinguished Outreach Faculty
Elise Gornish, Extension Specialist and Professor, School of Natural Resources
Brian Mayer, Professor, Sociology
Distinguished Scholars
Bo Guo, Associate Professor, Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences
Stephanie Russo Carroll, Associate Professor, Community, Environment and Policy
Mohammed Tharwat Hassan, Associate Professor, Physics
Distinguished Department Head
Craig Aspinwall, Department Head and Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Bruce Tabashnik, Department Head and Regents Professor, Entomology
University of Arizona Foundation Leicester and Kathryn Sherrill Creative Teaching Award
Susan Hester, Associate Professor of Practice, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Margaret M. Briehl and Dennis T. Ray Five Star Faculty Award
Allyson Roof, Assistant Professor, Physiology
Henry and Phyllis Koffler Prize Award
Elizabeth Hall-Lipsy, Associate Dean of Faculty and Academic Affairs; Associate Professor of Practice, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science
Elizabeth Oglesby, Associate Professor, School of Global Studies
University Faculty Service Award
Beatrice C. Dupuy, Professor, French and Italian | Public and Applied Humanities
John M. Ruiz, Professor, Psychology
Distinguished Mentor Award
Andrea K. Gerlak, Director, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy
Mentoring Future Scholars Award
Helena W. Morrison, Associate Professor, Nursing
Graduate Teaching and Mentoring Award
Michael D. L. Johnson, Associate Professor, Immunobiology
Louise Roth, Professor, School of Sociology
Postdoc-as-Mentor Award
Timothy Kistner, Research Associate, Cancer Center
Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring
Hang Xue, Associate Professor, Mathematics
Early Career Scholars Award
Genesis Arizmendi, Assistant Professor, Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences | Cognitive Science
M. Maya Kaelberer, Assistant Professor, Physiology
Ashley Lowe, Assistant Professor, Nursing
Debankur Sanyal, Assistant Professor, Environmental Science
Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar Award
Julia Yarrington, Research Fellow, Psychology
Kentaro Yumigeta, Research Associate, Materials Science and Engineering