This year, 18 outstanding, hard-working faculty members have been selected as the 2021 class of Connor Faculty Fellows at the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

Their expertise spans the natural sciences, humanities, fine arts and social sciences, and the funds from the Connor fellowship are intended to help each rising academic further their career development.

"Our Connor Faculty Fellows are truly phenomenal and are among those at the highest levels of teaching, research and service to the college, university and each of their respective fields," said Todd Shields, dean of Fulbright College.

"That each has continued their work at such a caliber even during this pandemic time is nothing short of amazing, and we all look forward to what each fellow creates and accomplishes next!" he added.

The Fulbright College 2021 Connor Faculty Fellows include:

• Kathleen Paul, assistant professor, Department of Anthropology
• Nagayasu Nakanishi, assistant professor, Department of Biological Sciences
• Maggie He, assistant professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Yaguang Zhu, assistant professor, Department of Communication
• Sean Dempsey, assistant professor, Department of English
• Linyin Cheng, assistant professor, Department of Geosciences
• Ren Pepitone, assistant professor, Department of History
• Brandon Bouchillon, assistant professor, School of Journalism and Strategic Media
• Paolo Mantero, assistant professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences
• Joon Park, assistant professor, Department of Music
• Amanda McMullen, assistant professor, Department of Philosophy
• Jin Hu, assistant professor, Department of Physics
• Karen Sebold, assistant professor, Department of Political Science
• Stacey Makhanova, assistant professor, Department of Psychological Science
• Jacob Goffnett, assistant professor, School of Social Work
• Michael Nino, assistant professor, Department of Sociology and Criminology
• John Walch, assistant professor, Department of Theatre
• Ryan Calabretta-Sajder, assistant professor, Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Robert and Sandra Connor of Dallas, Texas, established the Connor Endowed Faculty Fellowship in 2004 to provide essential faculty development opportunities to rising academic experts in the college. Annually, a college committee including the dean recognizes faculty who have made excellent contributions to the college and their departments.

The $6,000 award that comes with this honor is used by fellows to facilitate travel, expand research initiatives and support classroom activities.

The Connors' original gift of $1.5 million formerly allowed the college to designate up to 10 fellows each year. An additional gift has now allowed the college to expand the number of fellowships.

Since its inception, the endowment has enabled Fulbright College to recognize more than 200 Connor Fellows and counting, many of whom are now leaders in their departments, serving in administrative capacities or in prominent teaching and research positions with impressive publication records.

About the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most academically diverse unit on the University of Arkansas campus, with three schools, 16 departments and 43 academic programs and research centers. The college also provides the majority of the core curriculum for all U of A students.