Dean's Faculty and Staff Awards Program


The opportunity to be among so many exceptional teachers, researchers, and staff is what makes the experience of being a part of this great College at Middle Tennessee State University so satisfying and so inspiring. Thank you all for the part you play, every day, in making MTSU one of the best universities in Tennessee.

-  Bud Fischer, Ph.D., Dean from July 2012- July 2021


The Dean's awards recognize CBAS faculty and staff who demonstrate exceptional accomplishment in the areas of teaching, research, community service and administration.

Click on the links below to review the specific criteria, eligibility, and nomination procedure for each award.  Self-nominations for all faculty awards will be equally considered.

CBAS Distinguished Research Award

The Distinguished Research Award is designed to honor a faculty member who has established a record of outstanding science research. This packet of information should be submitted from the nominator's email address to cbasawards@mtsu.edu no later than April 5th, 2024 by 5:00 p.m.

CBAS Faculty Service Award

The Faculty Service Award is designed to recognize a faculty member who has developed a record of outstanding service that supports and contributes to the teaching and research missions of the college or university. This packet of information should be submitted from the nominator's email address to cbasawards@mtsu.edu no later than April 5th, 2024 by 5:00 p.m.

CBAS Teaching Excellence Award

The Teaching Excellence Award recognizes and honors a faculty member who has demonstrated a record of consistent excellence in teaching. This packet of information should be submitted from the nominator's email address to cbasawards@mtsu.edu no later than April 5, 2024 by 5:00 p.m.

Dean's Staff Award for Exemplary Service

The Dean's Staff Award for Exemplary Service Award recognizes outstanding achievements and exceptional performance by administrators, professionals and support staff.  Faculty or staff who would like to nominate an individual for this award must also complete the nomination form.  This packet of information should be submitted from the nominator's email address to cbasawards@mtsu.edu no later than April 5, 2024 by 5:00 p.m.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please email cbasawards@mtsu.edu.

CBAS Distinguished Doctoral Research Award

The Distinguished Doctoral Research Award is designed to recognize a doctoral student in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS) who has developed a record of outstanding research.  The award shall be decided during fall semester each academic year and awarded at the CBAS Graduate Student Showcase.  The ideal candidate for this award shall be a doctoral student in CBAS:

  1. With a distinguished research record.
  2. Whose research contributions are long-term and extend beyond the present academic year.

Each of the above criteria must be met in order to receive the Distinguished Research Award.  Each recipient will be honored with a plaque and a monetary award. No award will be made if, in the opinion of the CBAS Awards Committee and/or the Dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, there is no nominee who adequately meets these criteria. 

Eligibility

  1. Doctoral students in CBAS are eligible if they have not previously received the CBAS Distinguished Doctoral Research Award.
  2. Nominees must be in at least their third year of their doctoral program.

Nomination Process

Only electronic submissions in pdf format will be accepted.  This packet of information should be submitted from the nominator’s email address to cbasawards@mtsu.edu no later than April 5th, 2024 by 5:00 p.m.  Please include the name of the award in the subject line of your email to simplify the process for committee members reviewing the nominations.  The submission should include the following: 

  1. A letter of nomination from the nominee’s advisor or program director detailing the reasons for the nomination. Please specifically address points in the above “purpose and criteria” section.
  2. A statement from the nominee describing current research (no more than two pages, single spaced). This statement should be written at a level appropriate for diverse scientific disciplines.  In addition to a description of current activities, the statement should address the significance of the nominee’s total body of research to their field of study.
  3. The nominee’s curriculum vitae with relevant activities highlighted for work done at MTSU. Please include teaching activities as well.
  4. Optional: Peer reviewed publications, conference papers, or previously presented posters/presentations resulting from work done at MTSU.

Selection Process

The College of Basic and Applied Sciences Awards Committee will evaluate nominations and make a recommendation to the Dean of the College.  Final selection will be made by the Dean, who will inform the recipient(s) of their award.

CBAS Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award

The CBAS Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award is designed to recognize an undergraduate level student in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS) who has developed a record of outstanding research. The award shall be decided during the spring semester each academic year and awarded on CBAS Scholars Day.

The ideal candidate for this award shall be an undergraduate level student in CBAS:

  1. With an outstanding research record.
  2. With a demonstrated ability to balance academic coursework with research activities.

Each of the above criteria must be met in order to receive the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award.  Each recipient will be honored with a plaque and a monetary award. No award will be made if, in the opinion of the CBAS Awards Committee and/or the Dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, there is no nominee who adequately meets these criteria. 

Eligibility

  1. Undergraduate level students in CBAS are eligible if they have not previously received the CBAS Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award.
  2. Nominees must be in at least the junior or senior year of their undergraduate degree program.
  3. Nominees must have maintained a minimum of a 3.0 GPA during the academic year immediately prior to the year of award.

Nomination Process

Only electronic submissions in pdf format will be accepted.  This packet of information should be submitted from the nominator’s email address to cbasawards@mtsu.edu no later than April 5th, 2024 by 5:00 p.m.  Please include the name of the award in the subject line of your email to simplify the process for committee members reviewing the nominations.  The submission should include the following:

  1. A letter of nomination citing the student’s outstanding research record and the student’s demonstrated ability to balance academic coursework with research activities.
  2. A statement from the nominee describing current research (no more than two pages, single spaced). This statement should be written at a level appropriate for diverse scientific disciplines.  In addition to a description of current activities, the statement should address the significance of the nominee’s research to their field of study.
  3. A copy of the nominee’s unofficial undergraduate transcript.

Selection Process

The College of Basic and Applied Sciences Awards Committee will evaluate nominations and make a recommendation to the Dean of the College.  Final selection will be made by the Dean, who will inform the recipient(s) of their award.

CBAS Outstanding Masters Research Award

The Outstanding Master’s Research Award is designed to recognize a master’s level student in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS) who has developed a record of outstanding research.  The award shall be decided during fall semester each academic year and awarded at the CBAS Graduate Student Showcase.  The ideal candidate for this award shall be a Master’s level student in CBAS:

  1. With an outstanding research record.
  2. Whose research contributions are long-term and extend beyond the present academic year.

Each of the above criteria must be met in order to receive the Outstanding Master’s Research Award.  Each recipient will be honored with a plaque and a monetary award. No award will be made if, in the opinion of the CBAS Awards Committee and/or the Dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, there is no nominee who adequately meets these criteria. 

Eligibility

  1. Master’s level students in CBAS are eligible if they have not previously received the CBAS Outstanding Master’s Research Award previously.
  2. Nominees must be in at least their second year of their graduate program.

Nomination Process

Only electronic submissions in pdf format will be accepted.  This packet of information should be submitted from the nominator’s email address to cbasawards@mtsu.edu no later than April 5th, 2024 by 5:00 p.m.  Please include the name of the award in the subject line of your email to simplify the process for committee members reviewing the nominations.  The submission should include the following:

  1. A letter of nomination detailing the reasons for the nomination. Please specifically address points in the above “purpose and criteria” section.
  2. A statement from the nominee describing current research (no more than two pages, single spaced). This statement should be written at a level appropriate for diverse scientific disciplines.  In addition to a description of current activities, the statement should address the significance of the nominee’s total body of research to their field of study.
  3. The nominee’s curriculum vitae with relevant activities highlighted for work done at MTSU. Please include teaching activities as well.
  4. Optional: Peer reviewed publications, conference papers, or previously presented posters/presentations resulting from work done at MTSU.

Selection Process

The College of Basic and Applied Sciences Awards Committee will evaluate nominations and make a recommendation to the Dean of the College.  Final selection will be made by the Dean, who will inform the recipient(s) of their award.


Award Winners

YearsNameAward DescriptionPhoto
2021-2022 Dr. Samuel Haruna CBAS Teaching Excellence AwardSamuel Haruna
2021-2022 Dr. Seockmo Ku CBAS Distinguished Research AwardSeockmo Ku
2021-2022 Mr. Gary Routh CBAS Staff Award for Exemplary Service Gary Routh
2020 - 2021 Avraz Anwar CBAS Outstanding Masters Research Award
2020 - 2021 Dr. Misagh Faezipour CBAS Faculty Service AwardMisagh Faezipour
2020 - 2021 Dr. Iris Gao CBAS Distinguished Research Award
2020 - 2021 Angela Google CBAS Distinguished Doctoral Research Award
2020 - 2021 Dr. Rhonda Hoffman CBAS Teaching Excellence AwardRhonda Hoffman
2020 - 2021 Keshav Paudel CBAS Distinguished Doctoral Research Award
2020 - 2021 Matthew Wade Dean’s Staff Award for Exemplary Service
2019 - 2020 Dr. Song Cui CBAS Faculty Service AwardSong Cui
2019 - 2020 Dr. Kevin Downs CBAS Teaching Excellence AwardKevin Downs
2019 - 2020 Dr. Jason Jessen CBAS Distinguished Research AwardJason Jessen
2019 - 2020 Mr. John Rozell Dean's Staff Award for Exemplary ServiceJohn Rozell
2018 - 2019 Dr. Sarah Bleiler-Baxter Mathematical Sciences CBAS Teaching Excellence AwardSarah Bleiler-Baxter
2018 - 2019 Dr. Wandi Ding Mathematical Sciences CBAS Distinguished Research AwardWandi Ding
2018 - 2019 Ms. Nicole Green School of Concrete and Construction Management Dean's Staff Award for Exemplary ServiceNicole Green
2018 - 2019 Dr. Rachel Leander Mathematical Sciences CBAS Faculty Service AwardRachel Leander
2017 - 2018 Dr. Tony Johnston Agriculture CBAS Faculty Service AwardTony Johnston
2017 - 2018 Dr. Henrique Momm Geoscience CBAS Distinguished Research AwardHenrique Momm
2017 - 2018 Dr. Jeremy Strayer Mathematical Science CBAS Teaching Excellence AwardJeremy Strayer
2017 - 2018 Mr. Matt Taylor Aerospace Dean's Staff Award for Exemplary ServiceMatt Taylor
2016 - 2017 Dr. Paul Craig Aerospace CBAS Distinguished Research AwardPaul Craig
2016 - 2017 Dr. Patricia Patterson Chemistry CBAS Faculty Service AwardPatricia Patterson
2016 - 2017 Dr. Cindi Smith-Walters Biology CBAS Teaching Excellence AwardCindi Smith-Walters
2016 - 2017 Melissa M. Flowers Dean's Office Dean's Staff Award for Exemplary ServiceMelissa Flowers
2015 - 2016 Ms. Anne Brzezicki Agriculture Dean's Staff Award for Exemplary ServiceAnne Brzezicki
2015 - 2016 Dr. Daniel E. Erenso Physics and Astronomy CBAS Distinguished Research AwardDaniel Erenso
2015 - 2016 Dr. Lisa B. Green Mathematical Sciences CBAS Teaching Excellence AwardLisa Green
2004 - 2005 Dr. Jeffrey Lee. Walck Biology CBAS Distinguished Research AwardJeffrey Walck
2003 - 2004 Dr. Andrienne C. Friedli Chemistry CBAS Distinguished Research AwardAndrienne Friedli
2003 - 2004 Dr. R. Stephen Howard Biology CBAS Distinguished Research AwardR. Stephen Howard
2003 - 2004 Dr. Xiaoya Zha Mathematical Sciences CBAS Distinguished Research AwardXiaoya Zha
2001 - 2002 Dr. Gary Wulfsburg Chemistry CBAS Distinguished Research AwardGary Wulfsburg
2000 - 2001 Dr. Ngee Sing Chong Chemistry CBAS Distinguished Research AwardNgee Sing Chong
2000 - 2001 Dr. Yuri Melnikov Mathematical Sciences CBAS Distinguished Research AwardYuri Melnikov
2000 - 2001 Dr. Yuri Melnikov Mathematical Sciences CBAS Distinguished Research AwardYuri Melnikov
1998 - 1999 Dr. Anthony Newsome Biology CBAS Distinguished Research AwardAnthony Newsome
1994 - 1995 Dr. Yuri Melnikov Mathematical Sciences CBAS Distinguished Research AwardYuri Melnikov
1989 - 1990 Dr. Wayne Rosing Biology CBAS Distinguished Research AwardWayne Rosing
1986 - 1987 Clay Chandler Biology CBAS Distinguished Research Award
1984 - 1985 Dr. Gary Wulfsberg Chemistry CBAS Distinguished Research AwardGary Wulfsberg
1983 - 1984 Dr. Marion Wells Biology CBAS Distinguished Research AwardMarion Wells
1981 - 1982 Dr. James Lea Mathematical Sciences CBAS Distinguished Research AwardJames Lea
1980 -1981 Dr. Robert Carlton Physics and Astronomy CBAS Distinguished Research AwardRobert Carlton

If you have any questions or need additional information, please email cbasawards@mtsu.edu.