With a month to Commencement, there’s a palatable buzz on campus as students, faculty, and staff work to finish up the academic year. During this busy time, though, CU Denver paused for a special Celebration of Faculty Excellence event on April 10, at which 49 scholars and practitioners received awards for 2023 based on the respect of their peers.
“These honorees work in a wide array of fields, from mathematical and statistical studies—which has seven honorees this year—to education, bioengineering, landscape architecture, and librarianship,” said Chancellor Michelle Marks at the event. She highlighted that awardees included tenured, tenure-track, and more than 20 instructional, research, and clinical faculty who’ve distinguished themselves in teaching, leadership, service, research, and creative work. “What unites them all is that they chose CU Denver as the place where they can stake their ground and make their impact. And that makes me so proud.”
Here are some photo highlights from the event and you can find a complete list of honorees by clicking here.
Excellence in Leadership and Service – Instructional/Research/Clinical Faculty
(Selected by a committee comprising previous award winners)
Katy DiVittorio, MLIS, Auraria Library
Thomas Duster, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Geography and Environmental Sciences) (pictured; middle)
Merrily (Missy) Kautt, MPA, Business School (pictured; middle)
Andrea Laser, EdD, School of Education & Human Development (pictured; middle)
*Robyn Mobbs, PhD, School of Public Affairs (pictured; left)
Adam Spiegler, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Mathematical and Statistical Sciences) (pictured; middle)
Excellence in Leadership and Service – Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty
(Selected by a committee comprising previous award winners)
*Cathy Bodine, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing (Bioengineering) (pictured; left)
Louise Bordelon, PhD, College of Architecture and Planning (Landscape Architecture) (pictured; right)
Franci Crepeau-Hobson, PhD, School of Education & Human Development
Sarah Hagelin, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (English) (pictured; right)
Tanya Heikkila, PhD, School of Public Affairs
Julien Langou, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Mathematical and Statistical Sciences) (pictured; right)
Madhavan Parthasarathy, PhD, Business School
Excellence in Research and Creative Work – Instructional/Research/Clinical Faculty
(Selected by a committee comprising previous award winners)
Annie Miller, PhD, School of Public Affairs
K. Mohrman, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Ethnic Studies) (pictured; right)
*Dmitry Ostrovsky, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Mathematical and Statistical Sciences) (pictured; left)
Rachel Stein, PhD, School of Education & Human Development (pictured; right)
Excellence in Research and Creative Work – Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty
(Selected by a committee comprising previous award winners)
Adriana Alvarez, PhD, School of Education & Human Development (pictured; right)
Jody Beck, PhD, College of Architecture and Planning (Landscape Architecture) (pictured; right)
Sommer Browning, MSLIS, MFA, Auraria Library
*Emily A. Gibson, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing (Bioengineering) (pictured; left)
Katherine Gunny, PhD, Business School
Katharine Kelsey, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Geography and Environmental Sciences) (pictured; right)
Florian Pfender, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Mathematical and Statistical Sciences) (pictured; right)
Chad Shomura, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Ethnic Studies)
Gregory Walker, DMA, College of Arts & Media (Music & Entertainment Industry Studies) (pictured; right)
Chris Weible, PhD, School of Public Affairs
Excellence in Teaching – Instructional/Research/Clinical Faculty
(Selected by a committee comprising previous award winners)
Wendy Bolyard, PhD, School of Public Affairs (pictured; right)
Miranda Egger, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (English) (pictured; right)
Brian Lisle, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Philosophy) (pictured; right)
Gary Olson, MS, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Mathematical and Statistical Sciences) (pictured; right)
Leslie Prock, MA, School of Education & Human Development
David Ruderman, MBA, Business School
Susan Stirrup, MS, College of Engineering, Design and Computing (InWorks) (pictured; right)
*Mira Rose Woodson, MFA, College of Architecture and Planning (Architecture) (pictured; left)
Excellence in Teaching – Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty
(Selected by a committee comprising previous award winners)
Troy Butler, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Mathematical and Statistical Sciences) (pictured; bottom)
Ben Crawford, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Geography and Environmental Sciences) (pictured; bottom)
Angela Gover, PhD, School of Public Affairs
Emilie Guidez, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Chemistry)
Vijay Harid, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing (Electrical Engineering)
*Diana D. Schaack, PhD, School of Education & Human Development (pictured; top left, bottom)
*Matthew J. Shea, MArch, MA, College of Architecture and Planning (Architecture) (pictured; top right, bottom)
Excellence in Teaching – Lecturer
(Selected by the IRC Roadmap Advisory Committee)
*Fahridzal (Fareed) Omar, MS, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Mathematical and Statistical Sciences)
Excellence in Librarianship
(Selected by the Library Faculty Personnel Committee)
*Kodi Saylor, MSLS, MFA, Auraria Library
Faculty Inclusive Excellence Award
(Selected by a committee comprised of one representative from the Office of DEI, two representatives appointed by the Institutional Equity Advocacy Council, one appointed by Human Resources, and one from the Affinity Group Network)
*Maryam Darbeheshti, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing (Mechanical Engineering)
Excellence in Practices Related to Instructional, Research, and Clinical Faculty
(Selected by the University of Colorado Denver Association of Lecturers and Instructors Committee)
*ThinqStudio
