After virtual ceremonies for two years due to the pandemic, the UMKC Faculty Recognition Event returned to an in-person celebration yesterday afternoon at the Student Union.
“In my role as chief academic officer for the university, I am proud to be part of such an inspiring group of academic leaders,” said UMKC Provost Jenny Lundgren. “I am honored to celebrate the award winners being recognized this evening and to also recognize the contributions of all of our amazing faculty for their contributes to the university, especially over the past two years.”
In addition to honoring UMKC’s distinguished faculty, the event featured a keynote speech from Todd Zakrajsek, Ph.D., associate research professor and associate director of fellowship programs in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina.
UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal also spoke and praised all the award recipients.
“We are grateful that you choose to work and research here,” said Agrawal. “It’s an honor to be here to celebrate your outstanding accomplishments today.”
The Faculty Awards presented were:
UM System Presidential Fellows
2022 Awardees:
Hadara Bar-Nadav – Professor, Department of English Language & Literature
Amanda Grimes – Assistant Professor, School of Nursing and Health Sciences
Yotam Haber – Associate Professor of Music Composition Department of Music Studies
2021 Awardees:
Joan McDowd – Professor & Chair, Department of Psychology
Jamila Jefferson-Jones – Professor, School of Law
Joey Lightner – Assistant Professor, School of Nursing and Health Sciences
2021 Governor’s Award for Teaching
Michael Wacker – Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Biomedical Sciences
N.T. Veatch Award for Distinguished Research & Creativity
2022 Awardee:
Sean O’Brien – Professor, School of Law
2021 Awardee:
Gary Sutkin – Associate Dean of Women's Health, Victor and Caroline Schutte Chair in Women’s Health
Trustees Faculty Scholar Award
2022 Awardee:
Antonio Byrd – Assistant Professor, Department of English Language & Literature
2021 Awardee:
Alison Graettinger – Assistant Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
2021 Trustees Faculty Fellow Award
Jennifer Huberman – Professor, Department of Sociology
Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Researchers, Scholars and Artists
Virginia Blanton – Professor, Department of English Language & Literature
Majid Bani-Yaghoub – Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Amanda Grimes – Assistant Professor, School of Nursing and Health Sciences
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Graduate Mentoring
Tanya Villapando Mitchell – Professor and Chair, Division of Dental Hygiene
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Mikah Thompson – Associate Professor, School of Law
Thiagarajan Ganesh – Professor, Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering
Chancellor's Early Career Award for Excellence in Teaching
Tiffani Riggers-Piel – Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Foundations
Christopher Madden – Assistant Professor of Piano Pedagogy, Department of Music Performance
Provost's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Lena Hoober-Burkhardt – Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Chemistry
Diana Tamer – Assistant Clinical Professor, Division of Pharmacy Practice and Administration
Elmore F. Pierson Good Teaching Awards
2022 Awardees:
Larry Wigger – Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management
Narayanan Sreenivasan – Associate Clinical Professor and Director of Pre-Doctoral Oral Surgery
Mary Kay O'Malley – Clinical Professor, School of Law
Tim Cole – Teaching Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences
2021 Awardees:
Jeff Johnson – Associate Professor, Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management
Simon MacNeill – Professor and Interim Director of Advanced Education for Periodontics
Allen Rostron – Professor, School of Law
Lance Carter – Associate Teaching Professor, Department of Graduate Health Professions
Chancellor's Award for Embracing Diversity
Tyler Smith – Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Student National Dental Association/Hispanic Dental Association
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Community Engagement
Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Special Collections Department of University Libraries
Brent Never – Associate Professor, Department of Public Affairs
Chancellor's Award for Career Contributions to the University
Mark Johnson – Professor and Chair, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences
Patricia Marken – Professor Emerita, Division of Pharmacy Practice and Administration
Also honored were the UMKC winners of the 2021 UM Presidential Awards.