The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas has named the 2020 winners of its annual teaching and research faculty awards. The recipients were each selected for their demonstrated excellence in these areas.

"Selecting our awardees is always a difficult thing to do each year," said Todd Shields, dean of Fulbright College. "But this year, honoring our amazing educators and researchers took on an even greater sense of importance as all our faculty have been working so hard during this unprecedented and unusual COVID-19 pandemic time."

"We could not be prouder of all our inspiring faculty members, and especially this year's awardees who have gone above and beyond to demonstrate the highest levels of dedication, professionalism and passion to their fields, research and above all — their students."

FULBRIGHT COLLEGE MASTER TEACHING AWARD

The college honors up to three outstanding teachers annually, and selection is based on a letter of nomination, teaching evaluations and documentation about the nominee's teaching activities.

The 2020 recipients include:

Todd Cleveland, associate professor, associate chair and director of graduate studies in the Department of History, whom his chair Jim Gigantino II describes as "among [our] strongest instructors and advisors." Gigantino said Cleveland is the department's sole African historian and that he integrates African voices into his curriculum using newspapers, oral histories, and his own firsthand experiences. Additionally, Gigantino said he has "been consistently impressed with [Cleveland's] impassioned engagement with graduate students," adding that Cleveland spearheaded a history graduate student Teaching Boot Camp and has created a new Digital Humanities Bootcamp that will debut in May 2020. "This type of engagement is above and beyond," Gigantino said. "He is by far a worthy candidate for this high honor."

Samantha Robinson, teaching assistant professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, whom her chair Mark Johnson describes as "a very dedicated instructor, one of the finest I have known." Johnson said Robinson primarily teaches the introductory statistics course for non-science majors, adding "With a contagious enthusiasm, positive attitude and a healthy dose of humor, she creates a friendly and relaxed classroom environment … makes the learning of statistics fun, very accessible, while also maintaining [high] academic standards." Additionally, Robinson was recently awarded the 2020 OK-AR Mathematical Association of America's Section Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics, and led a group of student researchers at the Arkansas Bioinformatics Consortium 2020 where several students received top awards.

Bret Schulte, associate professor in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media, whom his chair Larry Foley describes as a passionate teacher who inspires his students to "give it their all." Foley added, "His students are competitive because Schulte sets a very high bar for them. Once they leap over one bar, he motivates them to continue raising the bar … to new heights of excellence." Additionally, Schulte founded the university's award-winning Hill magazine, and serves as advisor for the student newspaper, The Arkansas Traveler. Foley said Schulte's students have been winning numerous regional and national awards for years, from such noteworthy organizations as the Society of Professional Journalists and the William Randolph Hearst Foundation's Journalism Awards Program.

FULBRIGHT COLLEGE MASTER RESEARCHER AWARD

The honor is awarded to up to three outstanding researchers. Awardees are chosen based on a nomination letter, the nominee's research accomplishments documented in a one-page summary of his or her research outlining its importance, a list of 10 publications, supporting evidence of exceptional performance in research, his or her curriculum vitae and an evaluation by the departmental chairperson.

The 2020 recipients include:

Lindsey Aloia, associate professor in the Department of Communication, whom her chair Stephanie Schulte describes as "an innovative scholar" with a prolific publication record that is both award-winning and nationally recognized, and that has "made a positive difference not only to our department and the students in it, but also our institution as a whole." Schulte said Aloia's research on the causes and consequences of verbal aggression and interpersonal associations has been called sophisticated, original, systematic, prolific, of utmost quality, and that it "addresses questions that are unique and theoretically driven" and "advances an under-identified area of research." Aloia has published 28 manuscripts, has seven currently under review, and recently secured a book contract with Oxford University Press.

Susanne Striegler, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, whom her nominating colleague Francis Millet describes as "epitomizing what it means to be an outstanding teacher-scholar," adding, "she has complemented her excellent teaching career with the establishment of an outstanding, nationally recognized research program." Chair Matt McIntosh said Striegler's carbohydrate chemistry research on components of antibiotics has been supported by National Science Foundation grants totaling more than $1 million, commercialized through the NSF I-Corp program, and received two Chancellor's Commercialization grants. Striegler has also had 10 publications on this research in the last 5 years alone. Millet added, "Her most recent entries into antibiotics is most impressive and a sign of her creativity and continuing intellectual curiosity."

FULBRIGHT COLLEGE OUTSTANDING ADVISOR AWARD

This award recognizes a faculty member's exceptional contributions to the departmental or college advising program. Awardees are chosen based on a letter of recommendation from someone who is acquainted with the candidate's work as an adviser along with letters of support from colleagues and former students.

The 2020 recipient is:

Suresh Kumar Thallapuranam, professor and Cooper Chair of Bioinformatics Research in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, whom his nominating colleague Francis Millet describes as embodying the "three aspects of student advising that are critical to the core mission of our department" including advising undergraduate chemistry majors, advising undergraduate honors students, and advising graduate students. Thallapuranam is currently directing the research of 43 honors thesis students and 18 senior thesis students and working with nine graduate students and two postdoctoral students. He has also published over 154 peer-reviewed papers, brought in five federal research grants, and been awarded two patents. He "has received numerous awards for his teaching and research" and is "an outstanding advisor, teacher and scientist."

J. HILLMAN YOWELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

This award is given to a Fulbright College graduate assistant in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the teaching mission of the college and university. Awardees are chosen based on a letter of nomination, a recommendation by the departmental chairperson, assessments of classroom visitations and other types of departmental review, his or her curriculum vitae, letters of support from faculty and peers as well as current and former students, a list of courses taught at the university and a summary of student evaluations for each course.

The 2020 recipient is:

Kathleen Doody, public policy, political science and Middle East studies doctoral student and graduate assistant, whom her nominating professor Janine Parry describes as "one of the finest teaching assistants I have observed in 25 years of classroom experience." Doody started as a teaching assistant in the M.A. program in 2014 after teaching English as a second language, tutoring deaf and blind students, and supplying aviation instruction in France, Jordan, and Florida. Since spring 2018, she has taught five sections of Politics of the Middle East and Introduction to Comparative Politics. "Her performance as a teacher and mentor has been exceptional … again and again she is described as knowledgeable, clear, and well-prepared, but also responsive, empathetic, and approachable."