Outstanding faculty honored at Luminaries ceremony

More than 35 faculty members were honored for their leadership, accomplishments and contributions to the university at the Luminaries: Outstanding Faculty Awards ceremony on Oct. 30 at Crowder Hall in the School of Music.

"We are celebrating the best of the best at the University of Arizona," President of the University of Arizona and University Distinguished Professor Suresh Garimella said in his opening remarks. "Your dedication to our students, your contributions to your technical communities and your research communities, and your service to our community, whether that be Tucson, or Southern Arizona, the state or the world, are what have positioned the University of Arizona to be such an amazing institution that is so well regarded across the world."

The ceremony, previously known as the Outstanding Faculty Awards, has moved from the spring to the fall and has been renamed Luminaries to reflect its significance. The event, hosted by Presidential Events and University Ceremonies, featured honors including the designation of University Distinguished Professor and the Five Star Faculty Award, which is the only universitywide teaching award whose honoree is chosen by undergraduates.

The honorees are listed below. More information on the awardees is available at the Luminaries website. Information on the nomination and selection process can be found on the Faculty Awards and Honors website.

University Distinguished Professor

• Robert Fleischman, Professor, Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Mechanics
• Suresh Garimella, President, University of Arizona, and Professor, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering

University Distinguished Outreach Faculty

• Marcela Vásquez-León, Professor, School of Anthropology, and Director, Center for Latin American Studies

Distinguished Scholars

• Elise Gornish, Associate Professor and Assistant Restoration Ecology Specialist, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, and Founder and Director of EcoRestore Portal

Distinguished Department Head Award

• Buell Jannuzi, Department Head and Professor, Department of Astronomy, and Director, Steward Observatory
• Chris Castro, former interim Department Head and Professor, Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences

The University of Arizona Foundation Leicester and Kathryn Sherrill Creative Teaching Award

• Robert Stephan, Associate Professor of Practice, Department of Religious Studies and Classics

The Margaret M. Briehl and Dennis T. Ray Five Star Faculty Award

• Sherri Silverberg, Lecturer in Accounting, Dhaliwal-Reidy School of Accountancy

Henry and Phyllis Koffler Prize Award

• Lisa Elfring, Vice Provost, Assessment, Teaching and Technology, and Professor, BIO5 Institute

University Distinguished Innovation & Entrepreneurship Award

• Joseph Valacich, Muzzy Endowed Chair and Professor, Department of Management Information Systems

University Faculty Service Award

• Laura Hollengreen, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and Associate Professor, School of Architecture
• Leila Hudson, Associate Professor, School of Middle Eastern and North African Studies

Distinguished Mentor Award

• Daniela Triadan, Professor, School of Anthropology

Mentoring Future Scholars Award

• Hayriye Kayi-Aydar, Associate Professor, Department of English
• Jessica Rainbow, Associate Professor, College of Nursing, and Director, Clinical-Research Partnership

Graduate Student Peer Mentor Award

• Andrew Wickersham, Dcotoral Student, President, University of Arizona History Graduate Association
• Liliana Toledo Guzman, Doctoral Student, Vice President, University of Arizona History Graduate Association
• Johanne Harrigan, Doctoral Student, Secretary, University of Arizona History Graduate Association
• Zelin Pei, Doctoral Student, Treasurer, University of Arizona History Graduate Association
• Samantha Goodrich, Doctoral Student, Marketing and Outreach Coordinator, University of Arizona History Graduate Association

Graduate Teaching and Mentoring Award

• Erin Galyen, Professor of Practice and Co-coordinator, Certificate in College Teaching, University Center for Assessment, Teaching and Technology
• Eleni Hasaki, Professor, School of Anthropology and Department of Religious Studies and Classics

Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring

• Katrina Dlugosch, Associate Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Early Career Scholars Award

• Harris Kornstein, Assistant Professor, Department of Public and Applied Humanities
• Michelle Berry, Assistant Professor, Department of History

Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar Award

• Alison Mirin, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Mathematics
• Lisa Covington, former Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Digital Humanities and Department of Africana Studies