College of Arts and Sciences Honors Faculty and Staff Excellence

👏 The College of Arts and Sciences convened the CAS community for its annual Spring Honors and Awards Ceremony. The event honored the achievements of faculty and staff award winners, celebrated promotions, and recognized the lasting impact of retiring colleagues.

Honorees were nominated by their peers for three awards: the Excellence in Teaching Awards, Excellence in Research and Creative Activity Awards, and Janine Brooks Memorial Staff Award.

🏆 Award Winners:

Excellence in Teaching Awards:

• Sachin Nedundagi (Chemistry)
  • 🎤 What their nominators are saying: “I can say from personal experience that Dr. Nedungadi not only taught me Organic Chemistry, but also how to face challenges that seem insurmountable and the importance of letting your own experiences shape your mindset about a topic.”
• Tanushree Ghosh (English)
  • 🎤 What their nominators are saying: “There were times when I disagreed with my classmates (and maybe even with you), and you welcomed that…. I [originally had said] that my interest in this subject was low when class started, because I just came back to school after more than a decade…. Now I am VERY interested in the ideas we discussed in class…. Thank you for teaching me!”
• Kay Siebler (English)
  • 🎤 What their nominators are saying: “Dr. Siebler remarkably blends rigor with care. She demonstrates high expectations, but ensures pedagogical justice. Whether working with first-year students encountering rhetorical analysis for the first time or graduate students developing their pedagogical identities, she meets learners where they are and challenges them to exceed their own expectations.”
• Nikae Perkinson (Chemistry)
  • 🎤 What their nominators are saying: “[She] transforms challenging material into something approachable, relatable, and exciting… inspiring students to see learning not as a requirement, but as an opportunity.”
• Andrew Riquier (Psychology)
  • 🎤 What their nominators are saying: “I would not be… a Ph.D. student in candidacy… if not for the personal investment of Dr. Riquier.”
• Charles Landow (Political Science)
  • 🎤 What their nominators are saying: “[His insights] provided a practical view through which we could analyze complex topics.”

Excellence in Research and Creative Activity Awards:

• Lana Obradovic (Political Science)
  • 🎤 What their nominators are saying: “Lana takes priority research topics identified by the Command and helps the Fellows refine them into persuasive, policy-relevant papers. This process is a masterclass in research application as she mentors professionals so they can produce work that commands attention at the highest levels of military leadership.”

Janine Brooks Memorial Staff Award

• Angie Centarri (CAS Academic Advising)
  • 🎤 What their nominators are saying: “Angie is known for her proactive and student-centered approach. She continuously refines her work by tracking response times, setting goals for improvement, and ensuring students receive timely, high-quality support. Her innovations include developing a clear, accessible checklist for Psychology majors, now used by faculty in their courses, and creating a comprehensive Canvas career resource to guide students from orientation through graduation.”

💡 Service Recognitions:

The College of Arts and Sciences recognizes nine retiring faculty members – who have contributed more than 230 years of indispensable service to our institution:

• Randy Adkins (Dean’s Office, Political Science)
• Tracy Bridgeford (English)
• Bob Darcy (English)
• Darren Holley (Mathematics)
• Lisa Knopp (English)
• Alan Osborn (Sociology/Anthropology)
• Patrice Proulx (World Languages and Literature)
• Barbara Robins (English)
• Slava Rykov (Mathematical and Statistical Sciences)

The college also recognizes faculty members whose sustained commitment to excellence has earned them the following promotions:

Promotion to lecturer:

• Rachel Bash (English)
• Heather Giles (Psychology)
• Sara Marzioli (World Languages and Literature)
• Sarah Mason (English)
• Matthew Northam (Biology)
• Eric O’Brien (English)
• Mirtha Pirooz (Psychology)
• Jill Quant (English)
• Janet Reilly (Political Science)
• Teddy Woolman (Chemistry)

Promotion to associate professor with tenure:

• Paul Ayayee (Biology)
• Jonathan Clayton (Biology)
• Abby Folberg (Psychology)
• Sachin Nedungadi (Chemistry)
• Mahima Saxena (Psychology)
• Allison Schlosser (Sociology/Anthropology)
• Jonathan Schueth (Geography/Geology)
• Karina Uhing (Mathematical and Statistical Sciences)
• Cong Wang (Mathematical and Statistical Sciences)

Promotion to full professor:

• Sam Ammons (Sociology/Anthropology)
• Timi Barone (Sociology/Anthropology)
• Daniella Battisti (History)
• Beth Chalecki (Political Science)
• Gwyneth Cliver (World Languages and Literature)
• Brady DeSanti (Religious Studies)
• Lana Obradovic (Political Science)
• Julie Pelton (Sociology/Anthropology)
• Jeanne Reames (History)
• Martina Saltamacchia (History)
• Rose Strasser (Psychology)
• Ryan Wong (Biology)