Out of 2,100 faculty members at Texas A&M University, 24 have been selected as the first group of Presidential Impact Fellows.
Provost Karan Watson says the recipients have taught long enough to establish themselves, but with this nudge will become changemakers in their fields.
Each of the recipients will receive $25,000 dollars each of the next three fiscal years for a variety of projects.
Each recipient, who was identified by their Dean and confirmed by academic leadership will be honored at a ceremony next week.
Click below for comments from Dr. Karan Watson, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.
News release from Texas A&M University:
Texas A&M University President Michael K. Young and Provost Karan L. Watson have announced a new faculty honor – Presidential Impact Fellows ‒ and the new award is among the most prestigious ever presented to Texas A&M faculty.
The inaugural class of Presidential Impact Fellows includes 24 faculty members across Texas A&M’s 16 colleges and schools, two branch campuses and comprehensive University Libraries. Each recipient will receive an annual stipend of $25,000 for the next three fiscal years to accelerate their teaching, research and service efforts, and will also include the title of Presidential Impact Fellow for life. In addition, each recipient will receive a glass art memento reflecting the synergy of transformational learning, discovery, and impact achieved through Texas A&M’s commitment to creating a better world.
Each recipient has been identified by their Dean and confirmed by academic leadership. They are considered candidates for continued or new national and international acclaim and will utilize this honor to participate in national dialogue, advance their scholarship and create new partnerships.
President Young initiated the concept of the new titles and their strategic imperative at his “State of the University” address last October, calling on the students, faculty, staff, former students and partners of Texas A&M to embrace grand challenges, commit to core values and embody the unique “can-do” spirit that distinguishes Texas Aggies in service through education.
The first class of Presidential Impact Fellows are considered rising stars in their fields, Young says.
“Texas A&M University faculty advance knowledge through transformational learning, discovery, innovation and impact for Texas and the world,” Young explains.
“Today, we acknowledge a new investment in the excellence of select faculty who through their scholarship, personal commitment and results demonstrate they are rising to meet the challenges of their field and demonstrating impact towards creating a better world. I am proud to name these faculty as the inaugural Presidential Impact Fellows.
“This honor furthers our belief in these faculty and they should be considered among the nation’s very best and will enable greater recognition for their excellence,” Provost and Executive Vice President Watson adds.
The 2017 honorees will be honored officially at a ceremony on March 21 and include:
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences:
• Dr. Bruce McCarl, Regents Professor and University Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Economics
• Dr. Fuller W. Bazer, Regents Fellow and University Distinguished Professor of Animal Science
College of Architecture:
• Dr. Wei Yan, professor, Department of Architecture
Mays Business School:
• Dr. Sean T. McGuire, assistant professor, Department of Accounting
• Dr. Steve Courtright, assistant professor, Department of Management
School of Dentistry:
• Dr. Chunlin Qin, professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences
• Dr. Jian Q. (Jerry) Feng, professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences
College of Education & Human Development:
• Dr. Jeffrey Liew, professor, Department of Educational Psychology
College of Engineering:
• Dr. Melissa A. Grunlan, associate professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Dr. Arum Han, associate professor, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Dr. Arul Jayaraman, associate professor, Department of Chemical Engineering
• Dr. Raymundo Arróyave, associate professor, Department of Materials Science & Engineering
• Dr. Zachary Grasley, associate professor, Zachry Department of Civil Engineering
College of Geosciences:
• Dr. Sarah Brooks, professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences
The Bush School of Government & Public Service:
• Dr. Kent E. Portney, professor, Department of Public Service & Administration
College of Liberal Arts:
• Dr. Laura Mandell, professor, Department of English
• Dr. Stephen Maren, professor, Department of Psychology
University Libraries:
• Mr. David E. Hubbard, associate professor, University Libraries
College of Medicine:
• Dr. Farida Sohrabji, professor, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics
Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy:
• Dr. Mansoor Khan, professor
College of Science:
• Dr. Alexei Sokolov, professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy
• Dr. Karen Wooley, University Distinguished Professor of Chemistry
College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences:
• Dr. William Murphy, professor, Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences
Texas A&M University Galveston Campus:
• Dr. Samuel D. Brody, professor, Department of Marine Sciences