University announces recipients of annual teaching awards

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas has announced 16 faculty members from the Lawrence and KU Medical Center campuses as recipients of KU’s annual teaching awards.

These outstanding faculty will be honored at the University Teaching Awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Jayhawk Welcome Center. All members of the KU community are invited to RSVP for the event, which will feature a reception, followed by the awards program.

“Excellence in teaching is central to KU’s mission and integral to our students’ experience,” said Chancellor Douglas A. Girod. “This year’s teaching award winners include some of our finest educators and mentors, each of whom are worthy of our recognition and thanks. I look forward to celebrating these outstanding teachers at our annual awards ceremony, and I invite our entire academic community to join us.”

This year’s teaching award recipients are listed below.

Lawrence Campus

Bob & Kathie Taylor Excellence in Teaching Award

• Dyan Morgan, associate teaching professor, Undergraduate Biology Program

Chancellors Club Career Teaching Award

• Brian Laird, professor of chemistry

Chancellors Club Teaching Professorship

• Shannon O’Lear, professor of geography & atmospheric science

International Affairs Advisory Board International Teaching Award

• Melinda Lewis, professor of the practice of social welfare

Ned Fleming Trust Award for Excellence in Teaching

• Jennifer Gleason, associate professor of ecology & evolutionary biology 

William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence (originally announced in July 2024)

• Jenny Archibald, associate teaching professor, Undergraduate Biology Program
• Alison Gabriele, professor of linguistics
• Tim Jackson, professor of chemistry
• Allison Kirkpatrick, associate professor of physics & astronomy
• Nilou Vakil, associate professor of architecture

KU Medical Center

Chancellors Club Teaching Professorship

• Nelda Godfrey, professor of nursing
• Wolfram Zückert, professor of microbiology, molecular genetics & immunology

Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Awards

• Cheen Alkhatib, associate professor of anesthesiology, pain & perioperative medicine
• David Becker, assistant professor of internal medicine
• Kirk Miller, associate professor of radiology
• Ericka Sanner-Stiehr, clinical associate professor of nursing.