Honors recognize service to the university and the state of Iowa
Monday, September 30, 2013

The University of Iowa has named Edwin Dove and Susan Johnson this year's recipients of the Michael J. Brody Award for Faculty Excellence in Service.

The Brody Award is named in honor of the late Michael J. Brody, president of the UI Faculty Senate in 1986-87. It recognizes outstanding faculty who have made exceptional contributions to the university and the state of Iowa.

Portrait of Ed Dove
Edwin L. Dove

Edwin L. Dove, associate professor of biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering, has an impressive record of service that includes sitting on more than a dozen university committees and task forces; acting as interim DEO of his department; chairing the 2011 review of the Presidential Committee on Athletics; and serving as vice president, president, and past president of the Faculty Senate.

In the latter roles, his thoughtful and collaborative leadership style helped move important initiatives forward and contributed to the university’s reputation as a model institution for effective shared governance. He formed productive relationships with regents and legislators, and helped establish a new tradition of annual visits by the governor with UI faculty and staff.

Dove is a successful researcher with more than a dozen funded research grants, and an outstanding teacher who has won more than 10 teaching awards, including the President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence in 2004.

Portrait of Susan Johnson
Susan R. Johnson

Susan R. Johnson—university ombudsperson, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the Carver College of Medicine, and professor of epidemiology in the College of Public Health—has contributed generous service to the university, its colleges, and her profession throughout her career as a faculty member.

She served 12 years as a member and eventually chair of the Institutional Review Board’s Committee A (which reviews applications to perform research studies on human subjects). She was the first UI Health Care physician appointed by the governor to serve on the Iowa Board of Medicine Examiners, and has served on the National Board of Medical Examiners for almost 20 years.

Johnson has demonstrated her commitment to improving the climate for women and others on campus through service on influential task forces and committees. An expert on time management and productivity, she has had a lasting influence on the daily work of many faculty, staff, students, and community members through her popular workshops. In her current role as university ombudsperson, she contributes to a more positive campus climate on a daily basis by helping individuals solve difficult problems.