University of Iowa honors 2019 Faculty and Staff Awards recipients

Eighteen faculty and staff members were honored at the University of Iowa’s annual Faculty and Staff Awards celebration. The ceremony, held Oct. 16, was sponsored by the Office of the Provost and University Human Resources.

Read more about the recipients of these awards:

• David J. Skorton Award for Staff Excellence in Service to the University of Iowa
• The University of Iowa Outstanding Staff Award
• The Lola Lopes Award for Undergraduate Student Advocacy
• The President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence
• The May Brodbeck Humanities Fellowship
• The Michael J. Brody Award for Faculty Excellence in Service

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David J. Skorton Award for Staff Excellence in Service to the University of Iowa

David Gould, College of Education

Gould is the administrator of the Bucksbaum Academy, which brings highly able high school students to the UI College of Education’s Belin-Blank Center to begin their college studies ahead of schedule. While serving in a variety of roles at Iowa over two decades, Gould has created innovative programs that help students take control of their education and discover their passions. While a staff member in the University Honors Program, he helped found the popular Engaged Social Innovation major. He designed two of the university’s most unique courses, Life Design: Building Your Future and The Green Room, both of which involve the community and challenge students to think about what they want from life. From 2013 to 2016, he served as the first Obermann Public Scholar, a role in which he helped faculty and staff imagine new ways to do publicly engaged work at a research university.

Kimberly J. Sprenger, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine

As clinical research manager, Sprenger oversees the Internal Medicine Pulmonary Core and the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science Coordinator Core. She has been instrumental in leading efforts to help remove barriers and streamline the clinical research process; has developed a team of clinical research professionals that support investigators and studies in the Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy; and actively supports a training program that guides clinical trial coordinators throughout the health sciences. She serves as Iowa’s liaison for ResearchMatch, a national registry of volunteers developed and managed by members of the Clinical and Translational Science consortium. Recently, she became one of Iowa’s liaisons to the Clinical and Translational Science Awards Trial Innovation Network, which addresses roadblocks in clinical trials and accelerates the translation of novel interventions into new therapies.

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The University of Iowa Outstanding Staff Award

Paul Bellus, University College

As coordinator of forensics and director of the A. Craig Baird Debate Forum, Bellus has molded Iowa’s program into one of college debate’s powerhouses. One of only two active debate coaches to win the “triple crown” of top honors in the field—the National Debate Tournament, the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) national championship, and the Copeland Award—he also recently became one of only two people in history to direct a team to earn both first and second place at the CEDA championship. These achievements were made possible in part because of his sustained efforts at securing funding, recruiting outstanding student debaters, and hosting outreach events. Bellus has mentored hundreds of students, including many women and students of color, to become the future leaders of debate, and he has expanded the UI team’s reach, including through a recent effort that invited the Rwanda Debate Team to campus for a discussion on foreign policy and genocide.

Bobbie Bevins, College of Education

Bevins is an academic clinical program management specialist in the College of Education’s Department of Teaching and Learning. In addition to supporting the department’s faculty and students and coordinating more than 250 departmental courses, Bevins supports two new master’s programs started in 2017 (Master’s in Teaching, Leadership, and Cultural Competence; Master of STEM Education), which have grown to serve record numbers of teachers across the state. She also supports an alternative pathway to teaching program (RAPIL), a joint venture of the three universities overseen by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, to help mid-career professionals transition into the teaching workforce. In 2018, she volunteered to serve as chair of the College of Education Staff Council and set a goal to make a difference in the college’s climate by organizing a series of workshops to engage staff in thinking about diversity and inclusivity, and to address areas of concern from the Working at Iowa survey.

Lori Cranston, College of Public Health

As the associate dean for finance and administration in the College of Public Health, Cranston provides outstanding leadership over many administrative functions, including finance, human resources, facilities management, and information technology. She also serves as advisor to the associate deans, and as collegiate budget officer. Her wealth of university experience, team approach to problem solving, and dedication to transparency make her a remarkable leader. She has been instrumental in the college successfully navigating many changes in recent years, including the transition to a new dean, the startup of an undergraduate program, the move to a centralized services model, and the transition to a new university budget model. Outside of her regular collegiate duties, she has contributed service to many college- and university-level committees, including Staff Council and a variety of pilot and advisory groups for new business and human resources systems and policies.

Kathryn Hall, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

As senior director for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ curriculum and academic policy, Hall assists the associate dean for undergraduate programs with curriculum, response to student complaints, and academic misconduct. Her work has played a significant role in shaping curriculum and educational policies. She supports curricular innovation at the undergraduate level by guiding faculty through the nuts and bolts of academic policy so they can create thoughtful course offerings. She brings empathy and attention to students who are in difficult academic situations, always putting the student’s interest and well-being first. Her dedication to matters of academic integrity benefits students, instructors, and the reputation of UI undergraduate education. She co-directs the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences  (CLAS) General Education program, which under her leadership has become a tool for improving student success. Because other colleges use the CLAS Gen Ed. program in whole or in part, in this role Hall influences the education of nearly every UI undergraduate student.

Heena Olalde, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine

Olalde manages the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine’s Office of Clinical Trials in the Department of Neurology, and is coordinator for the regional center for StrokeNet, one of 25 national NIH-sponsored research infrastructures to conduct stroke research and allow patients in rural settings to participate in clinical trials. She has been crucial to the development of the regional center, which involves 14 hospitals in Iowa, Nebraska, and North Dakota. Her efforts contributed significantly to the center becoming the top national enroller in the first StrokeNet clinical trial, and to a five-year renewal of the grant in 2018. She actively volunteers in the national StrokeNet infrastructure, and in recognition of her expertise was selected to be part of the training core. In addition to assisting investigators and coordinators in the department and elsewhere in the university, she has accepted leadership roles in national consortia that perform research testing therapies for a broad range of neurologic diseases.

Karen Shemanski, University Human Resources

Shemanski, in her role as director of Human Resources Administrative Services, has provided support for more than 100 human resources staff members. She also serves as senior HR director for the University Libraries. During the past year, in addition to her regular responsibilities, she partnered with the Office of the President to build an executive-search support model that has significantly improved efficiency and effectiveness of complex searches. She served as administrative staff member for national searches for the new director of the Stanley Museum of Art; UI executive vice president and provost; and associate vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion. In each case, she expertly tracked search milestones and adeptly managed communication with committee members, search firms, and candidates. As the person who often provided the first impression of the UI to candidates, she was an outstanding ambassador for the university. Extending the positive influence of her work, she has developed practical, accessible guidance for future search committees.

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The Lola Lopes Award for Undergraduate Student Advocacy

Martha C. Kirby, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

As the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ senior academic advisor, Kirby provides extraordinary support to more than 600 undergraduate students who are pursuing a degree from the Department of Political Science, either on campus or online. She also is a leader in pre-law advising for students in a variety of majors, is the staff advisor for the pre-law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta, and has guided many students through the challenging law school application process. A board member of the Midwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors, she chaired a university-wide committee that created the UI Law Expo, which brought nearly 100 law schools from across the country to Iowa to share information. Her positive influence extends to many additional undergraduate students through her service as a member of the First Generation Campus Steering Committee, a leader of the Des Moines Internship Program, and a generous mentor to her advising colleagues.

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The President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence

Dawn Barker Anderson, College of Law

A professor of instruction for legal analysis, writing, and research, Anderson is a leader in teaching methodologies in the college, and has been at the forefront of introducing teaching techniques that represent innovations in legal education. Among her contributions is pioneering work on effective team-based learning in the first-year legal writing curriculum. When the American Bar Association adopted a requirement in 2014 that law schools develop and implement specific learning outcomes at both an institutional and course level, Anderson led the development of learning outcomes for the college and championed a focus on outcomes as a core philosophy. She earned an education specialist degree from the Higher Education and Student Affairs program in the College of Education in 2018, using the opportunity to research interdisciplinary issues, such as the experience of women and international law students.

Vincent Rodgers, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Rodgers, a professor of physics and astronomy, leads a research team of five PhD students and six undergraduates who work on discoveries in quantum gravity and string theory. His love of teaching and scientific research compelled him to share it with a diverse group of people beyond his department and even the academy. From 2005 to 2018, he co-directed the Iowa Biosciences Academy (IBA), which is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, and he co-directs the National Science Foundation-sponsored LSAMP-IINSPIRE. Both programs have supported undergraduate and graduate research in seven UI colleges. Rodgers co-founded and volunteers for the Student Summer Theoretical Physics Research Session, which informally trains graduate, undergraduate, and high school students in theoretical physics research. He is active in the departmental K–12 outreach effort Hawk Eyes on Science, and since 1989 has traveled to Iowa schools and other venues for outreach. From 1994 to 2015, he was a tutor for the Multi-Ethnic Engineering and Scientific Activities tutoring program that serves Iowa City schools, and, in 2005, he founded Café Scientifique, a platform for the public to discuss science and technology with professional scientists.

William J. Sharp, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine                 

Sharp is Sidney E. Ziffren, M.D. Professor of Surgery. Within the Department of Surgery, he directs the Division of Vascular Surgery and serves as vice chair for education. During more than 20 years as program director for the general surgery residency program, he has mentored hundreds of graduating residents, and led the program through a sustained period of excellence and growth. He also served as director of the vascular surgery fellowship program, and was critical to the development of a new integrated vascular surgery residency program. Sharp has trained multiple generations of surgeons, and his impact on the education of so many has by extension helped thousands of patients. He received the Collegiate Teaching Award in 2013, the Ernest O. Theilen Clinical Teaching and Service Award in 2014, and the Medical Education Outstanding Educator Award in 2015.

Greg Stewart, Henry B. Tippie College of Business

Stewart, professor and Mary H. Bell Chair in Leadership in the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, has taught undergraduate, MBA, and PhD students, and all have rated his teaching as outstanding. He also has been significantly involved in curriculum development and enhancement. He was instrumental in a revision of both the undergraduate and PhD curricula; was a leader in the development of the new multidisciplinary Health Care Delivery Science and Management Distinction Track for medical students; and has revised his own courses using case-based teaching methods, flipped classroom techniques, and online teaching strategies. His co-authored textbook on human resource management has emerged as one of the top textbooks in the field. Stewart is a role model for junior faculty, and is preparing the next wave of future leaders. Students in the executive MBA program have named him Great Instructor of the Year on three occasions.

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The May Brodbeck Humanities Fellowship

Lea VanderVelde, College of Law

VanderVelde, Josephine R. Witte Professor of Law, researches 19th-century lives, court decisions, and other occurrences that significantly impacted the course of American law, particularly in the areas of slavery, work, property, and the Constitution. With the 2019–2020 May Brodbeck Humanities Fellowship Award, she will digitize and analyze two major historical texts related to the making of constitutions: the convention debates that produced the Iowa state constitution, and the Congressional debates that changed the national Constitution. This work has the potential to be wide-reaching and influential because of her goal to make the digitized texts accessible to legal history students, researchers studying the state of Iowa, and scholars of the national constitution. VanderVelde was a Guggenheim fellow in constitutional studies in 2011, and is principal investigator for the Law of the Antebellum Frontier project at the Stanford Spatial History Lab, analyzing the legal and cultural mechanisms at work in developing states out of U.S. territories.

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The Michael J. Brody Award for Faculty Excellence in Service

Jerry Anthony, Graduate College

An associate professor in the School of Urban and Regional Planning, Anthony is committed to improving the quality of life for Iowans by expanding housing opportunities and eliminating disparities in urban and rural communities. He has provided extraordinary service for Iowa communities through real-world class projects with graduate students, and through myriad activities and projects in which he has engaged as an expert on housing policy. He co-founded and serves on the board of directors of the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County, which since 2004 has distributed more than $8 million and created more than 750 affordable-ownership and rental housing options. This entity has inspired similar interventions across the state. Anthony serves the university as chair of the Campus Planning Committee and the Government Relations Committee, and as a member of the Public Policy Center executive committee.

Sandra E. Daack-Hirsch, College of Nursing                           

As an associate professor in the College of Nursing and current Faculty Senate president, Daack-Hirsch has made outstanding sustained contributions in service to the college, the university, the state, and the profession. Her professional contributions include a variety of leadership roles with the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG), the premier nursing organization in her research field of genetics and genomics. She lends her scholarly expertise to Iowa citizens through partnerships with the Heartland Genetics and Newborn Screening Collaborative and the state departments of health and public health to advance genetic research and clinical services to improve the health of newborns and children. Among her many contributions to the UI Faculty Senate, in 2017 she chaired the interdisciplinary committee to remove the sanction imposed on the university by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), and led a process that resulted in significant improvements in Faculty Senate interactions with local AAUP and Board of Regents leadership.

Witold F. Krajewski, College of Engineering

Krajewski, the Rose & Joseph Summers Chair of Water Resources Engineering and professor of civil and environmental engineering, is the founding director of the Iowa Flood Center (IFC), which serves Iowans by providing accurate and useful scientific information to help mitigate flood hazards. The IFC has become a model for translating engineering research to service and outreach. Among its accomplishments is the creation of the nationally recognized Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS), a one-stop web-platform for access to community-based flood conditions, forecasts, and inundation maps. The IFC also collaborates with state agencies to produce state-of-the-art, high-resolution maps of flood risk across Iowa. Nationally, Krajewski has served as a leader of the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science since its inception in 2001, and has played a pivotal role in its growth. He received the Regents Award for Faculty Excellence in 2010.

Thomas E. Vaughn, College of Public Health

As an associate professor of health management and policy, Vaughn has made exceptional contributions to faculty governance, collegiate committee leadership, and service to his academic community. He has served two terms on the Faculty Senate, and has held each of the four officer roles, including serving as president from 2016 to 2017. As president, he was instrumental in rebuilding a strong working relationship among the faculty, central administration, and the Board of Regents. He has served and held leadership roles on numerous senate and university committees, including the Strategic Plan Development Group. He has contributed to a variety of collegiate committees, and has played a pivotal role on the College of Public Health Faculty Council, serving as a member for seven years and chair for four of those years. He currently serves as interim associate dean for academic affairs.