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College of Basic and Applied Sciences

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

2021-2022
Dr. Samuel Haruna
CBAS Teaching
Excellence Award

2021-2022
Dr. Seockmo Ku
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award

2021-2022
Mr. Gary Routh
CBAS Staff Award
for Exemplary Service

2020 – 2021
Avraz Anwar
CBAS Outstanding
Masters Research
Award
2020 – 2021
Dr. Misagh Faezipour
CBAS Faculty
Service Award

2020 – 2021
Angela Google
CBAS Distinguished
Doctoral Research
Award
2020 – 2021
Dr. Rhonda Hoffman
CBAS Teaching
Excellence Award

2020 – 2021
Matthew Wade
Dean’s Staff
Award for
Exemplary Service
2019 – 2020
Dr. Song Cui
CBAS Faculty
Service Award

2019 – 2020
Dr. Kevin Downs
CBAS Teaching
Excellence Award

2019 – 2020
Dr. Jason Jessen
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award

2019 – 2020
Mr. John Rozell
Dean’s Staff Award
for Exemplary Service

2018 – 2019
Dr. Sarah Bleiler-Baxter
Mathematical Sciences
CBAS Teaching
Excellence Award

2018 – 2019
Dr. Wandi Ding
Mathematical Sciences
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award

2018 – 2019
Nicole Green
School of Concrete
and Construction Mgmt
Dean’s Staff Award
for Exemplary Service
2018 – 2019
Dr. Rachel Leander 
Mathematical Sciences
CBAS Faculty
Service Award

2017 – 2018
Dr. Tony Johnston
Agriculture
CBAS Faculty
Service Award

2017 – 2018
Dr. Henrique Momm
Geoscience
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award

2017 – 2018
Dr. Jeremy Strayer
Mathematical  Science
CBAS Teaching
Excellence Award

2017 – 2018
Mr. Matt Taylor
Aerospace
Dean’s Staff Award
for  Exemplary Service

2016 - 2016
Agriculture Dean's Staff Award 
for Exemplary Service
Anne Brzezicki
2016 – 2016
Ms. Anne Brzezicki
Agriculture Dean’s
Staff Award for
Exemplary Service

2016 – 2017
Dr. Paul Craig
Aerospace
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award

2016 – 2017
Melissa Flowers
Dean’s Office
Dean’s Staff Award
for Exemplary Service

2016 – 2017
Dr. Patricia Patterson
Chemistry
CBAS Faculty
Service Award

2016 – 2017
Dr. Cindi Smith-Walters
Biology
CBAS Teaching
Excellence Award
2015 – 2016
Dr. Daniel Erenso
Physics and Astronomy
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award
2015 – 2016
Dr. Lisa Green
Mathematical Sciences 
CBAS Teaching
Excellence Award
2004 – 2005 
Dr. Jeffrey Walck
Biology
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award
2003 – 2004
Dr. Andrienne Friedli
Chemistry
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award
2003 – 2004 
Dr. R. Stephen Howard
Biology
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award
2003 - 2004 Xiaoya Zha Mathematical Sciences CBAS Distinguished Research Award
2003 – 2004
Xiaoya Zha
Mathematical Sciences
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award

2001 – 2002
Dr. Gary Wulfsburg
Chemistry
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award

2000 – 2001
Dr. Ngee Sing Chong
Chemistry
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award

2000 – 2001
Dr. Yuri Melnikov
Mathematical Sciences
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award

1998 – 1999
Dr. Anthony Newsome
Biology
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award

1994 – 1995
Dr. Yuri Melnikov
Mathematical Sciences
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award

1989 – 1990
Dr. Wayne Rosing
Biology
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award
1986 – 1987
Clay Chandler
Biology
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award
1984 – 1985
Dr. Gary Wulfsberg
Chemistry
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award
1983 – 1984
Dr. Marion Wells
Biology CBAS
Distinguished
Research Award
1981 – 1982
Dr. James Lea
Mathematical Sciences
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award
1980 -1981
Dr. Robert Carlton
Physics and Astronomy
CBAS Distinguished
Research Award



Contact Us

College of Basic and Applied Sciences

Office of the Dean

MTSU Box 83, SCI 1020
1301 East Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37132

basdean@mtsu.edu

615-898-2613