Excellence in Auburn faculty was highlighted last Thursday at the faculty awards presentation.
Seventeen awards were presented to Auburn professors for excellence in teaching, research or outreach during a ceremony at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center.
"The students repeatedly cite that the faculty and academic programs are the reason that they choose Auburn," said Virginia Thompson, from the Board of Trustees, in her welcome to the audience. "Our faculty is deserving of our highest accolades, our deepest gratitudes and our greatest respect."
The University presented eight different awards to the most deserving faculty members: The Gerald and Emily Leischuck Endowed Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching, Award for Excellence in Faculty Outreach, Creative Research and Scholarship Award, Distinguished Diversity Researcher Award, Alumni Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award, Distinguished Graduate Faculty Lectureship, Alumni Professor, and External Consulting. Recipients were chosen by a selection committee.
"It's a sort of lifetime achievement award," said Geoffrey Hill, professor of biological sciences and recipient of the Creative Research and Scholarship Award. "It's the highest award you can achieve in Auburn in recognition of research, so it's really a great honor."
Hill researches birds, dealing with topics like the purpose of colorful plumage, conservation of southeastern bird species and evidence for the existence of the ivory-billed woodpecker.
Each recipient received a handmade, blown-glass vase, created by Cal Breed of Orbix Hot Glass.
The vases were orange and blue, and no two were alike.
"The University wanted to acknowledge each unique faculty contribution with a truly one-of-a-kind gift," said Daniel Butler, master of ceremonies for the event.
One of these professors was Donna Bohannon, professor of history and a recipient of the Gerald and Emily Leischuck award.
"Receiving this award represents the high point of my career," Bohannon said. "I am very grateful and truly humbled to receive this honor."
Bohannon's excellence in teaching is at least partially demonstrated by students' selection of her to give the Final Lecture in Spring 2010.
Some of the awards also included a monetary component.
Several faculty members' work was more thoroughly demonstrated with brief video montages of interviews with the professor and clips of their teaching or research on the appropriate subject matter.
Three honorees were unable to attend the ceremony. Elizabeth Guertal, professor of agronomy and soil, is in Africa on the Fullbright Scholarship. Malcolm Crocker, professor of mechanical engineering, is in Chile. Josh Inwood, professor of geology and geography, recently moved to the University of Tennessee.
An eloquent, Tuscany-themed reception followed the awards ceremony.
Recipients and their guests wined, dined and swung the night away to music provided by the Dean's Brass Quintet.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
