By UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
Dr. Grady Dixon, professor of geosciences and interim dean of the Peter Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics, was announced today as the 2019 President’s Distinguished Scholar at Fort Hays State University.
“In his five years at the university, Grady has over 40 published scholarly works. His research on weather and climate is at the forefront of his discipline,” said Dr. Jill Arensdorf, emcee of the ceremonies at the 2019 FHSU fall convocation.
“He has garnered over half a million dollars in grant monies, with the assistance of both undergraduate and graduate students,” said Arensdorf, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
“Grady, thank you for your contributions to the university and to your discipline.”
The President’s Distinguished Scholar Award was first conferred in 1989. All unclassified employees of the university are eligible for consideration and are evaluated for this honor by analysis of their performance in the categories of research and creative activities, service, and instruction. Acceptable levels of performance must be demonstrated in service and instruction, with the primary focus of this award on research and creative activities.
An evaluation committee, composed of five of the most recent award winners, reviews applications, and a recommendation is forwarded to President Tisa Mason. The provost chairs the committee and is responsible for administering the award process.
Several other awards were also presented at the convocation.
Faculty Member of the Year, Dr. Laura Wilson, associate professor of geosciences and interim chair of the department. Commerce Bank provides a $1,000 stipend for the award. The award was presented to her by Dr. Jill Arensdorf, provost and vice president of academic affairs, and Deron O’Connor, president of Commerce Bank.
The Faculty Member of the Year is selected from the past year’s recipients of faculty awards for teaching, for research and scholarly activity, and for service.
Wilson, and Dr. Nicholas Caporusso, instructor of informatics, were the winners of last year’s awards for research and scholarly activity.
The 2018-19 awards for service went to two assistant professors of advanced education programs, Dr. Kim Chappell and Dr. Elliot Isom.
Last year’s outstanding teaching awards went to Dr. C.D. Clark, associate professor of physics, and Dr. Lanee (pronounced lah-NAY) Young, associate professor of mathematics.
The Edmund Shearer Faculty Advisor of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Kim Chappell, assistant professor of advanced education programs in the College of Education.
The Shearer Award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding academic advising of students.
Shearer, a former chair of the Department of Chemistry, was known for the high value he placed on student advisement. One advisor can be recognized from each of the five academic colleges.
The recipient of this award will also be nominated for the National Academic Advising Association Award. Each FHSU winner will be presented a certificate and a monetary award. The nominees receive a stipend of $150, and the winning recipient receives $500. Commerce Bank also sponsors this award.
Besides Chappell, the nominees were Karrie Simpson Voth, professor and chair of the Department of Art and Design, representing the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Dr. Robert Lloyd, assistant professor of management in the W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship; Anita Walters, instructor of health and human performance in the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences; and Joe Chretien, associate professor of applied technology in the Peter Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics.
Dr. Tamara Lynn, associate professor and interim chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, was named the John Heinrichs Outstanding Research Mentor.
This award recognizes faculty members for their commitment, time and energy in promoting undergraduate research. All current faculty and unclassified staff members at levels comparable to academic faculty are eligible. The winner’s home department is awarded $500 of budget funding to benefit the recipient. The Office of the Provost, the Undergraduate Research Environment Committee, and the Office of Scholarships and Sponsored Projects sponsors the award.
The “Closing the Loop” Departmental Award went to the Department of Advanced Education Programs. The department receives $2,000, provided by Voya Financial, in additional operating budget for the year. This award recognizes a department that implements improvements in its degree programs. The Department of Management won the Advancing Assessment Award, receiving an additional $1,000 in operating budget funds, sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the Office for Institutional Effectiveness and Quality Improvement. This award recognizes departments that make advances in their program assessment procedures