Four University of Iowa faculty members have been selected as recipients of the Iowa Mid-Career Faculty Scholar Awards for 2025. 

The award, which is in its fourth year, provides funding and development opportunities for tenured mid-career faculty who have established national or international reputations in their disciplines and demonstrate exceptional teaching and mentorship. 

This year’s recipients are:

• Mihailis Diamantis, Ben V. Willie Professor in Excellence in the College of Law
• Korey Kennelty, Patrick E. Keefe Professor in Pharmacy in the College of Pharmacy, and vice chair for research and implementation science in the Carver College of Medicine’s Department of Family and Community Medicine
• Andrea Luangrath, associate professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Marketing in the Tippie College of Business
• Kara Whitaker, associate professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Health and Human Physiology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

“This year’s Iowa Mid-Career Faculty Scholars highlight the exceptional talent we have at our university,” says Kevin Kregel, executive vice president and provost. “We look forward to seeing these individuals continue to grow and further their impact on our university, within the state, and around the globe.”

Each awardee will receive $25,000 annually for the next three years to support their scholarly activities. Scholars will also receive professional guidance, create a tailored career development plan, and participate in a symposium showcasing their work to the university community. Development conferences — covering topics such as research leadership, mentoring, and resource management — will allow awardees to engage with members of previous cohorts and institutional leaders while forming a community of scholars across disciplines. 

The Iowa Mid-Career Faculty Scholar Award program highlights the university’s commitment to recognizing and nurturing the professional development of its exceptional faculty. By supporting the growth and success of these scholars, the university continues to advance its mission of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.

Mihailis Diamantis

Diamantis is highly respected for his work in corporate criminal law and corporate misconduct. He has hosted multiple symposiums on these topics and serves as co-editor of the Journal of Business Ethics’ Technology section. He is an elected member of the American Law Institute, one of the nation’s most prestigious law organizations.

While Diamantis’ primary role at Iowa is in the College of Law, he has connections to other disciplines and holds courtesy appointments in philosophy and finance. He co-directs the Sentinels for Privacy-Aware and Responsible Technological Advancement lab, which brings together faculty and students from law and computer science to address issues in artificial intelligence and personal data. He also heads the Across the Aisle program, bringing together groups of people to discuss hot-button topics of social and political significance. 

“I believe Professor Diamantis is precisely the sort of accomplished, forward-thinking scholar whom the Mid-Career Faculty Scholar Award is designed to recognize,” says Todd Pettys, interim dean of the College of Law. “His cross-disciplinary achievements, national visibility, and dedication to teaching and service will continue to enhance our institution’s reputation well into the future.”

Diamantis earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, mathematics, and English from Amherst College; a Doctor of Law from Yale University; and a PhD in philosophy from New York University. He joined the faculty at Iowa in 2016. 

Korey Kennelty

Kennelty, who holds a joint appointment in the College of Pharmacy and in the Carver College of Medicine’s Department of Family and Community Medicine, is recognized nationally for her work focused on improving patient care, especially in medication use and quality of care for older adults. An implementation scientist and clinical trialist, she has received funding from numerous sources to design and assess team-based care interventions that target chronic disease state management in primary health care settings. Kennelty has worked with more than 150 primary care practices on her clinical trials, and her clinical work as a geriatric pharmacist in UI Health Care’s Geriatric Health Assessment Clinic informs her work.

In the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Kennelty serves as vice chair for research and implementation science and director of the Iowa Research Network, which consists of primary care practices across Iowa working with researchers to address local needs. She recently was elected chair of the Meta-network Learning and Research Center, an international collaborative of networks that consist of more than 1,000 primary care practices in the U.S. and Canada dedicated to increasing the quality, effectiveness, and safety of primary care through research and collaborative learning. 

“Dr. Kennelty has established herself as a highly effective researcher who is nationally recognized in her field,” says Jill Kolesar, dean of the College of Pharmacy. “She has documented an excellent record of success and is pursuing even higher performance levels.”

Kennelty earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from the University of Toledo, Doctor of Pharmacy from Midwestern University, and both a Master of Science and PhD in social and administrative sciences in pharmacy from University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy. She was a Geriatric Advanced Fellow at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison before joining the faculty at Iowa in 2016.

Andrea Luangrath

Luangrath is a distinguished marketing scholar who has pioneered research in consumer behavior within digital environments. Her innovative work explores how nonverbal cues in online content, sensory marketing techniques, and virtual reality experiences influence consumer behavior and perceptions. Her studies are among the most highly cited in the Journal of Marketing Research over the past three years, signifying the growing influence she has in her field.

She is heavily involved in studies conducted in the Tippie Behavioral Research Lab, including using equipment that measures physiological responses to better understand consumer behavior. She has received numerous awards, including the Tippie College of Business Early Career Research Award, the MSI Young Scholars Award, C.W. Park Young Contributor Award, and the Society for Consumer Psychology Outstanding Contribution to JCP Award. 

“The university should take pride in having recruited such a top scholar and all-around terrific faculty member as Professor Luangrath, and in fostering an environment that has enabled her remarkable talents to thrive,” said Amy Kristof-Brown, Henry B. Tippie Dean of the Tippie College of Business.

Luangrath received a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing and international business, as well as a PhD in marketing, from the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Business. She joined the faculty at Iowa in 2017.

Kara Whitaker

Whitaker has garnered acclaim in her field for her research aiming to improve maternal and child health. Her research proposes that reducing sedentary time and replacing it with light physical activity and better sleep quality may be more effective in reducing risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes than the current recommendation of moderate to vigorous exercise. She also examines the effects of lifestyle behaviors on postpartum health and child health in the first two years. 

Since taking on the role of director of graduate studies for health and human physiology in 2022, Whitaker has redesigned and expanded new graduate student orientation and collaborated to improve student processes. Whitaker received the 2022 UI Early Career Scholar of the Year Award and was named a fellow of the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine in 2021. 

“Dr. Whitaker is a fast-rising star and has incredible promise to become an international leader in her field,” says Gary Pierce, department executive officer of the Department of Health and Human Physiology. “Dr. Whitaker’s exceptional record of peer-reviewed scholarly work and invited presentations, extramural grant support, awards, and service to the profession, the department, and the college are truly outstanding.”

Whitaker received a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology and women’s studies from the University of Michigan and both a Master of Public Health and PhD in exercise science from the University of South Carolina. She joined the faculty at Iowa in 2018.