Each year, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences honors its outstanding faculty and staff with a range of awards.
Faculty Excellence
In alternating years, the College awards Faculty Excellence in Research and Faculty Excellence in Teaching awards. The recipients of Excellence in Research awards are honored for a research program that has gained national and international distinction and impact in their field of study. Excellence in Teaching Award recipients have displayed a commitment to innovative and exceptional pedagogy.
Many recipients of CLAS faculty awards have gone on to be honored as Board of Trustees Distinguished Professors, the University’s highest academic honor.
Staff Excellence
In 2015, the College established annual Staff Excellence Awards to honor individuals who support College departments, centers, and programs. Recipients bring excellence and innovation to their work and help to promote the CLAS mission of creating and disseminating knowledge across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
We are proud of our award recipients, who help to make CLAS the center of academic excellence at UConn.
2019
Faculty Excellence in Research
Harry Van Der Hulst, Linguistics
Bandana Purkayastha, Sociology
David Knecht, Molecular and Cell Biology
Norah Berrah, Physics
Faculty Excellence in Public Scholarship
Rebecca Puhl, Human Development and Family Studies
DEI Excellence Award, Social Justice
Chris Vials, English
Staff Excellence
Stephanie Beron, Geography
Ashley Orcutt, Chemistry
2018
Faculty Excellence in Teaching
Rory McGloin, Communication
Laura Donorfio, Human Development and Family Studies
Amit Savkar, Mathematics
Staff Excellence
Bri Diaz, Dean’s Office
Cindy Stewart, Communication
2017
Faculty Excellence in Research
Matthew Hughey, Sociology
Letitia Naigles, Psychological Sciences
Gerald Dunne, Physics
Cathy Schlund-Vials, English and Asian and Asian American Studies Institute
Staff Excellence
Fe Delos-Santos, Asian and Asian American Studies Institute
Heather Parker, History
2016
Faculty Excellence in Teaching
Stephen Dyson, Political Science
George Gibson, Physics
Etan Markus, Psychological Sciences
Staff Excellence
Carla Gomez, Human Development and Family Studies
Carol Valone, Psychological Sciences
2015
Faculty Excellence in Research
Jc Beall, Philosophy
Richard Langlois, Economics
Akiko Nishiyama, Physiology and Neurobiology
Ralf Schiffler, Mathematics
Staff Excellence
Jessica Muirhead, History
Anne St. Onge, Biology Central Services
2014
Faculty Excellence in Teaching
Sam Best, Political Science
David Miller, Psychology
Fred Roden, English
2013
Faculty Excellence in Research
Blair Johnson, Psychology
Patrick Hogan, English
Ming-Hui Chen, Statistics
Mark Boyer, Political Science
2012
Faculty Excellence in Teaching
Shareen Hertel, Political Science
Holly Fitch, Psychology
Rachael Lynch, English
2011
Faculty Excellence in Research
Michael Lynch, Philosophy
Nancy Naples, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Mike Willig, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Steve Suib, Chemistry
2010
Faculty Excellence in Teaching
Margaret Breen, English
Nicholas Leadbeater, Chemisty
Rachel O’Neill, Molecular and Cell Biology
Kim Price-Glynn, Sociology
2009
Faculty Excellence in Research
Mary M. Burke, English
Donald H. Les, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
James F. Rusling, Chemistry
Stephen L. Ross, Economics
