Harriot College Faculty Awards
Harriot College professors are top-notch instructors and researchers in their fields. Our faculty are recognized in multiple ways at the college, university, and system-wide level for their excellence in teaching, research, and creative activity.
Honors, awards, and recognitions displayed on this page include the following:
Harriot College Distinguished Professorship
The Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professorship is the highest honor bestowed upon a faculty member in the college and is conferred upon a professor whose career exemplifies a commitment to and a love for knowledge and academic life as demonstrated by outstanding teaching and advising, research and creative productivity, and professional service.
Distinguished Professors are recognized at the college’s annual convocation in the fall. Although special honors that go along with the Distinguished Professorship shall be given only during the academic year that a professor is recognized, the title lasts a lifetime, and thus, is awarded to a faculty member only once.
Learn more about the Harriot College Distinguished Professorship and how to apply by the April 1 deadline.
Harriot College Distinguished Professors
Dr. Charles Ewen
Anthropology
2023
Dr. Wendy Sharer
English
2022
Dr. John Stiller
Biology
2022
Dr. Bob Edwards
Sociology
2021
Dr. Baohong Zhang
Biology
2018
Dr. Jody Baumgartner
Political Science
2017
Dr. Liza Wieland
English
2016
Dr. Margaret Bauer
English
2014
Dr. Roger Rulifson
Biology
2014
Dr. David Griffith
Anthropology
2013
Dr. Jamie Kruse
Economics
2012
Dr. Kyle Summers
Biology
2011
Dr. Jeffrey C. Johnson
Sociology
2010
Dr. Charles W. Calhoun
History
2009
Dr. Stephen J. Culver
Geological Sciences
2008
Dr. Robert R. Christian
Biology
2007
Dr. Robert C. Morrison
Chemistry
2006
Dr. C.W. Sullivan
English
2003
Dr. Bodo Nischan
History
2002; awarded posthumously
Dr. Paul Gemperline
Chemistry
2001
Dr. Mark Brinson
Biology
1997
Dr. Peter Makuck
English
1996
Dr. Tinsley Yarbrough
Political Science
1995
Dr. Stanley R. Riggs
Geological Sciences
1994
Harriot College Dean’s Early Career Award
Established in 2015 through the generosity of Harriot College’s Dean’s Advancement Council, this award recognizes and rewards exceptional performance by tenure-track assistant professors. It represents the college’s breadth of faculty excellence in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and mathematics. The award recipient is recognized at a special reception in the spring and honored at the College’s Fall Convocation.
Learn more about the Harriot College Dean’s Early Career Award and how to apply by the April 1 deadline.
Previous Harriot College recipients include:
2023 – 2024 Dr. Sara Bryson, Criminal Justice and Criminology
2023 – 2024 Dr. Rachel Gittman, Biology
2023 – 2024 Dr. Hanna Kassab, Political Science
2022 – 2023 Dr. Heather Vance-Chalcraft, Biology
2021 – 2022 Dr. Rebecca Asch, Biology
2021 – 2022 Dr. Adam R. Offenbacher, Chemistry
2021 – 2022 Dr. Ryan Schacht, Anthropology
2020 – 2021 Dr. Nathan Hudson, Physics
2019 – 2020 Dr. Beth Bee, Geography, Planning & Environment
2018 – 2019 Dr. Joi Walker, Chemistry
Harriot College Fixed-Term Faculty Award for Excellence
This award recognizes sustained distinguished teaching, service, mentorship, and leadership by fixed-term faculty members who have taught at ECU for at least five years. The award recipient is honored at the College’s Fall Convocation.
Learn more about the Harriot College Fixed-Term Faculty Award for Excellence and how to apply by the April 1 deadline.
Previous Harriot College recipients include:
2022 – 2023 Dr. Eric Anderson, Biology
2021 – 2022 Dr. Anne Mallory, English
2021 – 2022 Ms. Gerry MacLeod, Mathematics
2021 – 2022 Ms. Lisa Ellison, Foreign Languages and Literatures
2020 – 2021 Dr. Blakely Brooks, Anthropology
2020 – 2021 Ms. Angela Raper, English
2020 – 2021 Ms. Rosa Lopez-Canete, Foreign Languages and Literatures
2020 – 2021 Dr. Vera Tabakova, Economics
2019 – 2020 Mr. Timm Hackett, English
2019 – 2020 Ms. Lisa Bennett, Chemistry
2019 – 2020 Dr. Nehad Elsawaf, Economics
2019 – 2020 Dr. Heidi Luchsinger, Anthropology
2018 – 2019 Dr. Subodh Dutta, Chemistry
2018 – 2019 Dr. Wade Dudley, History
2018 – 2019 Dr. Cheryl Dudasik-Wiggs, English
UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching
This award recognizes the sustained career record of distinguished teaching by a tenured ECU faculty member who has taught at ECU for at least seven years, has demonstrated excellent or exceptional teaching ability over a sustained period of time, is teaching in the academic year in which they are selected, and has not received this award previously while teaching at any UNC institution. The award recipient is recognized in the spring during a Board of Governors Ceremony and the annual ECU Teaching Awards Ceremony.
Previous Harriot College recipients include:
2023 – 2024 Dr. Anne Spuches, Chemistry
2022 – 2023 Dr. Elizabeth Ables, Biology
2019 – 2020 Dr. William E. “Toby” Allen, Chemistry
2018 – 2019 Dr. David Wilson-Okamura, English
2014 – 2015 Dr. Carol Goodwillie, Biology
2012 – 2013 Dr. John W. Stiller, Biology
UNC Board of Governors Distinguished Professor for Teaching Award
These awards recognize and support excellent teaching at ECU. Awardees are full-time faculty members who have taught at ECU for at least three years, have demonstrated excellent or exceptional teaching ability, are teaching in the academic year in which they are selected, and have not received the award within the previous four years. Award recipients are recognized in the spring during the annual ECU Teaching Awards Ceremony.
Previous Harriot College recipients include:
2023 – 2024 Dr. Anne Bunnell, Biology
2022 – 2023 Dr. Lisa Bennett, Chemistry
2022 – 2023 Dr. Anne Mallory, English
2021 – 2022 Dr. Erin Field, Biology
2021 – 2022 Dr. Melinda Kane, Sociology
2019 – 2020 Dr. Amanda Ann Klein, English
2019 – 2020 Dr. Andrew Sargent, Chemistry
2019 – 2020 Dr. Beth Thompson, Biology
2018 – 2019 Dr. Anthony Kennedy, Chemistry
2018 – 2019 Dr. Andrea Kitta, English
2018 – 2019 Dr. Nicholas Rupp, Economics
2017 – 2018 Dr. Elizabeth Ables, Biology
2017 – 2018 Dr. Allison Danell, Chemistry
2017 – 2018 Dr. Gerald J. Prokopowicz, History
2016 – 2017 Dr. Richard Taylor, English
2015 – 2016 Dr. Peter Francia, Political Science
2015 – 2016 Dr. Laura Levi-Altstaedter, Foreign Languages and Literatures
ECU Lifetime & 5-Year Achievement Research/Creative Activity Awards
These awards reward originality and excellence in research and creative activities performed while contributing to the academic functions of ECU. Awardees, at any rank, must have taught at ECU for at least five years, have demonstrated sustained, high-quality research and creative activity, and been involved in research at ECU during the academic year in which they are selected. These awards carry a monetary prize and recipients are recognized in the spring during the annual ECU Teaching Awards Ceremony.
Previous Harriot College recipients include:
2023 – 2024 Lifetime Achievement: Dr. Xiaoping Pan, Biology
2022 – 2023 Lifetime Achievement: Dr. Yu “Frank” Yang, Chemistry
2022 – 2023 5-Year Achievement: Dr. William P. Banks, English
2022 – 2023 5-Year Achievement: Dr. Mamadi Corra, Sociology
2021 – 2022 5-Year Achievement: Dr. Elizabeth Ables, Biology
2020 – 2021 5-Year Achievement: Dr. Ariane Peralta, Biology
2019 – 2020 Lifetime Achievement: Dr. Liza Wieland, English
2018 – 2019 Lifetime Achievement: Dr. Baohong Zhang, Biology
2017 – 2018 5-Year Achievement: Dr. John G. Hoppenthaler, English
2016 – 2017 Lifetime Achievement: Dr. Kyle Summers, Biology
2016 – 2017 5-Year Achievement: Dr. Andrew J. “A.J.” Jacobs, Sociology
2016 – 2017 5-Year Achievement: Dr. Amanda Ann Klein, English
ECU Max Ray Joyner Award for Outstanding Teaching in Distance Education
This award honors an outstanding faculty member who has shown commitment and enthusiasm in teaching and mentoring off-campus students, and who has demonstrated excellence in the delivery of courses offered through distance education – either online distance education classes, or face-to-face classes taught off campus. The award recipient is a full-time faculty member who has taught a distance education class, has taught at ECU for at least three years, has demonstrated excellent or exceptional teaching ability, is teaching in the academic year in which they are selected, and has not received the award within the previous four years. The award recipient is recognized in the spring during the annual ECU Teaching Awards Ceremony.
Previous Harriot College recipients include:
2021 – 2022 Dr. Subodh Dutta, Chemistry
2019 – 2020 Dr. Brent Henze, English
ECU Scholar-Teacher Awards
These awards recognize faculty members who effectively integrate research and creative activity in classroom teaching. ECU faculty member recognized with the award must demonstrate excellence in the classroom, as evidenced by SOIS, peer observation, and recommendations of colleagues and students; have an outstanding record of scholarly accomplishments, as evidence by publication in recognized disciplinary venues and presentations before scholarly organizations; effectively integrate research/creative activity in classroom teaching; and mentor developing scholars, both students and faculty. Award recipients are honored at a luncheon/symposium, where they give a 15-minute presentation on the integration of research/creative activity in teaching, and are recognized in the spring during the annual ECU Teaching Awards Ceremony.
Previous Harriot College recipients include:
2023 – 2024 Dr. Greg Howard, Economics
2023 – 2024 Dr. Robert Hughes, Chemistry
2023 – 2024 Dr. Kirstin Squint, English
2022 – 2023 Dr. Adam Offenbacher, Chemistry
2022 – 2023 Dr. Jill Twark, Foreign Languages and Literatures
2022 – 2023 Dr. Heather Vance-Chalcraft, Biology
2020 – 2021 Dr. Erin Field, Biology
2020 – 2021 Dr. Anuradha Mukherji, Geography, Planning and Environment
2020 – 2021 Dr. Alexander M. Schoemann, Psychology
2019 – 2020 Dr. Elizabeth Ables, Biology
2019 – 2020 Dr. Michelle Eble, English
2019 – 2020 Dr. Javier Lorenzo, Foreign Languages and Literatures
2018 – 2019 Dr. April Blakeslee, Biology
2018 – 2019 Dr. Erin Frost, English
2018 – 2019 Dr. Laura Levi-Altstaedter, Foreign Languages and Literatures
2017 – 2018 Dr. Anna Froula, English
2017 – 2018 Dr. Ariane L. Peralta, Biology
2017 – 2018 Dr. Thomas M. Rickenbach, Geography, Planning, and Environment
2016 – 2017 Dr. Beth Thompson, Biology
2015 – 2016 Dr. William Banks, English
2015 – 2016 Dr. Andrea Kitta, English
2015 – 2016 Dr. Tuan Tran, Psychology
ECU Service-Learning Teaching Excellence Awards
This award recognizes a faculty member who has been involved in service-learning course work in the academic year in which they are selected and and in at least one previous year. An ECU faculty member recognized with the award must have demonstrated excellence in teaching with respect to service-learning, as evidenced by innovative projects and partnerships that have impacted the community; demonstrated how the service-learning work enhanced ECU’s strategic priorities and enhanced the faculty member’s development in teaching, scholarship, and/or service. The award recipient is recognized in the spring during the annual ECU Teaching Awards Ceremony.
Previous Harriot College recipients include:
2020 – 2021 Dr. Guiseppe Getto, English