College of Science faculty, staff honored for excellence

Thursday, May 14, 2026 • Greg Pederson :

The College of Science honored excellence in research, teaching, advising, and service during its Spring 2026 Faculty and Staff Meeting on May 6 in the Central Library’s 6th floor atrium. Award recipients at the College and University levels for the 2025-26 academic year were announced, and recipients of promotion and tenure were recognized.

Additionally, 19 faculty and staff members who are retiring or who retired in the past year received special recognition. They have a combined total of 463 years of service at UTA.

University-level awards were announced at the Spring Meeting of the Faculty and Associates, held on April 14.

College of Science Dean Morteza Khaledi thanked the College’s faculty and staff for their commitment to enhancing student success and for their roles in making The University of Texas at Arlington a world-class institution.

“It is truly an honor to be part of this community and to work alongside such dedicated and talented people,” Khaledi said. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and even more proud of the spirit of collaboration, service, and commitment that makes those accomplishments possible.

“I want to thank you for the role you play in the success of our students and the life of this College. Whether your work happens in the classroom, the laboratory, the office, or behind the scenes, your contributions matter. You help create the environment where students, learn, discover, grow, and imagine their futures.”

Research awards were announced by Associate Dean Todd Castoe, while teaching awards were announced by Associate Dean Laura Mydlarz, and service and advising awards were announced by interim Associate Dean Frank Foss.

College of Science award recipients

Distinguished Record of Research Award
Matthew Walsh, biology

Outstanding Achievement in Research Award
Piya Ghose, biology
Suvra Pal, mathematics

Excellence in Teaching Award, Tenure Track Faculty
Michelle Martin-Raugh, psychology
Yike Shen, Earth & environmental sciences

Excellence in Teaching Award, Academic Professional Track Faculty
Heather Arterburn, biology
Greg Hale, chemistry & biochemistry

Excellence in Advising Award
Anna Niemeyer, biology

Outstanding Technical Staff Award
Cynthia Griffith, chemistry & biochemistry

Mary Jane Goad Outstanding Administrative Staff Award
Natalie Croy, chemistry & biochemistry
Ashley Garza, Dean’s office

Faculty Development Leave
Hunter Ball, psychology
Nevin Weinberg, physics

Research Enhancement Program (REP) Grant
Yunyao Li, Earth & environmental sciences

Promotion and tenure

Tenure and promotion to Associate Professor
Piya Ghose, biology
Alison Racenscraft, biology
Ricardo-Sanchez-Murillo, Earth & environmental sciences
Logan Watts, psychology

Promotion to Full Professor
Jonathan Asaadi, physics
Haleh Hadavand, physics
Junha Jeon, chemistry & biochemistry

Promotion to Associate Professor of Instruction
Esteban Diaz, mathematics
Elsa Pirouz, Earth & environmental sciences
Masoud Rostami, data science

Promotion to Professor of Instruction
Alice Lubbe, mathematics
Cory Roelke, biology
Melissa Walsh, biology

College of Science retirees 2025-26

Minerva Cordero, mathematics, Dean’s office (25 years of service at UTA)
Manfred Cuntz, physics (26 years)
Bethany Goerdel, UTeach Arlington (10 years)
Ruth Handley, Dean’s office (26 years)
Nicolette Hass, psychology (19 years)
Guojun Liao, mathematics (37 years)
Qing Lin, psychology (16 years)
Ramon Lopez, physics (19 years)
Karen Jo Matsler, UTeach Arlington (15 years)
Zdzislaw Musielak, physics (27 years)
Merlynd Nestell, Earth & environmental sciences, mathematics (57 years)
David Nygren, physics (12 years)
Linda Panther, Earth & environmental sciences (16 years)
Victor Reece, physics (32 years)
Jimmy Rogers, chemistry & biochemistry (36 years)
Eric Smith, biology (19 years)
LeeAnn Snell-Burke, UTeach Arlington (16 years)
Qiming Zhang, physics (30 years)
Luis Zornosa, psychology (25 years)

University award recipients

UTA Academy of Distinguished Teachers
Nila Veerabathina, physics

UTA Academy of Distinguished Researchers
Todd Castoe, biology

UTA Academy of Distinguished Service Leaders
Greg Hale, UTeach/chemistry & biochemistry
Hristo Kojouharov, mathematics

Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
Bonnie Laster, psychology

William S. Ward Endowment Award
Steven Gellman, Office of Health Professions

UTA Distinguished Record of Research or Creative Activity
Jianzhong Su, mathematics

Faculty Development Leave
He Dong, chemistry & biochemistry
Dimitar Grantcharov, mathematics
David Jorgensen, mathematics
Yuan Peng, psychology

Interdisciplinary Research Program Grant Recipients
He Dong, chemistry & biochemistry
Un-Jung Kim, Earth & environmental sciences

Research Enhancement Program (REP) Grant
Wei Jiang, mathematics

Division of Faculty Success Faculty Mentors
Erin Austin, psychology
Hunter Ball, psychology
Esther Betran, biology
Cara Boutte, biology
Mingwu Jin, physics
Alice Lubbe, mathematics
Ricardo Sanchez-Murillo, Earth & environmental sciences
Edward Wilson, mathematics

McNair Scholars Program & Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Faculty Mentors
Joseph Buonomo, chemistry & biochemistry
Woo-Suk Chang, biology
Saiful Chowdhury, chemistry & biochemistry
David Jorgensen, mathematics
Theresa Jorgensen, mathematics
Michelle Martin-Raugh, psychology
Sangwook Park, physics
Mark Pellegrino, biology
Alison Ravenscraft, biology
Byung Ran So, chemistry & biochemistry
Qing Tang, biology
Nevin Weinberg, physics

Undergraduate and Research Opportunity Program/Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program Mentors
Jonathan Asaadi, physics
Hunter Ball, psychology
Cara Boutte, biology
Joseph Buonomo, chemistry & biochemistry
Saiful Chowdhury, chemistry & biochemistry
Purnendu Dasgupta, chemistry & biochemistry
He Dong, chemistry & biochemistry
Daniela Palmer Droguett, biology
Shane DuBay, biology
Frank Foss, chemistry & biochemistry
Matt Fujita, biology
Tracy Greer, psychology
Keaton Hamm, mathematics
Theodora Koromila, biology
Peter Kroll, chemistry & biochemistry
Subhrangsu Mandal, chemistry & biochemistry
Linda Perrotti, psychology
Alicia Rogers, biology
Souvik Roy, mathematics
C. Phillip Shelor, chemistry & biochemistry
Yike Shen, Earth & environmental sciences
Matt Walsh, biology
Nevin Weinberg, physics

Center for Research on Teaching and Learning Excellence Faculty Facilitators
Bonnie Laster, psychology

Maverick Advantage Faculty Engagement Facilitators
Xavier Aranda, biology

Maverick Advantage Faculty Engagement Fellows
Yunyao Li, Earth & environmental sciences
Tracy Munk-Martin, biology

Service-Learning Faculty Fellows
Xavier Aranda, biology

Student Experience Project Facilitators
Heather Arterburn, biology

Student Experience Project Faculty Fellows
Xavier Aranda, biology
Daniela Palmer Droguett, biology
Ida Klang, biology
Bonnie Laster, psychology
Caitlin Maynard, biology
Dylan Parks, biology
Nila Veerabathina, physics

College of Science 2025-26 Research Awards Committee
Paul Chippindale, biology
Fred MacDonnell, chemistry & biochemistry
Un-Jung Kim, Earth & environmental sciences
Andrzej Korzeniowski, mathematics
Ramon Lopez, physics
Jared Kenworthy, psychology

College of Science 2025-26 Teaching Awards Committee
Esther Betrán, biology
Walter Schargel, biology
He Dong, chemistry & biochemistry
Cornelia Winguth, Earth & environmental sciences
Barbara Shipman, mathematics
Manfred Cuntz, physics
Nila Veerabathina, physics
Tracy Greer, Psychology

 

 

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