The College of Sciences is committed to providing a world-class education for students and contributing to innovative research and creative work happening at UCF. An important part of this culture is fostering recognition of excellence and celebrating successes.

Please see the below recognition opportunities for College of Sciences faculty, along with past winners.


TONI: the Outstanding Names in Instruction

This annual recognition acknowledges and celebrates faculty’s notable instructional accomplishments, contributions and impact at the undergraduate or graduate level. See below and the nomination site for more information:

  • Accomplishments in multiple categories related to instruction will be recognized.
    • High-Impact or High-Quality Instruction
    • Successful Course Design, Redesign, Transformation, or Innovation
    • Individualized Instruction, Supervision, or Mentorship
  • Faculty members may nominate a colleague to their chair/director for consideration.
  • For each unit, chairs and directors can nominate a total of three (3) or up to 10% of their full-time faculty (whichever is the higher number) of any rank.
  • Selected faculty will be recognized at a college event.
  • Selected faculty will receive a certificate of recognition.
  • Not all nominees will receive recognition.
  • Recognition does not include financial incentive.
Nominate A Faculty Member

Winners

Click a button to reveal the winners for that timeframe.

High Impact or High-Quality Instruction 2025

Adam Parrish, Lecturer (Nicholson School of Communication & Media) 
Dorin Dutkay, Professor (Mathematics) 
Gabrielle Jarmoszko, Instructor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media) 
Heath Martin, Associate Chair & Associate Professor (Mathematics) 
Rachid Ait Maalem Lahcen, Associate Professor (Mathematics)  
Renata Kolodziej-Smith, Associate Lecturer (Nicholson School of Communication & Media) 
Richard Jerousek, Associate Lecturer (Physics) 
Richard Tyre, Instructor (School of Politics, Security, & International Affairs)


Individualized Instruction, Supervision or Mentorship 2025

Barry Griffiths, Senior Instructor (Mathematics)   
Bridget Rubenking, Associate Professor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media) 
Denisia Popolan-Vaida, Assistant Professor (Chemistry) 
Heather Edwards, Lecturer (Mathematics) 
Jennifer Sandoval, Associate Professor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media) 
Lindsay Hudock, Senior Instructor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media) 
Maria Capursi, Associate Lecturer (Mathematics) 
Nicholas Zuccarello, 3D Art Instructor (Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy) 
Tong Wan, Lecturer (Physics)


Successful Course Design, Transformation or Innovation 2025

Amanda Groff, Senior Lecturer (Anthropology)  
Brigitte Kovacevich, Associate Professor (Anthropology)  
Michael Callaghan, Associate Professor (Anthropology) 
Nathaniel Simone, Instructor (Statistics & Data Science) 
Paul B. Lawrence, Lecturer (Chemistry) 
Sarah Freidline, Assistant Professor (Anthropology) 
Xiaohu Xia, Associate Professor (Chemistry)

High Impact or High-Quality Instruction 2024

Shana Harris, Associate Professor (Anthropology)
Lana Williams, Associate Lecturer (Anthropology)
Linda Walters, Professor (Biology)
Heather Edwards, Lecturer (Mathematics)
Richard Hall, FIEA Instructor & Production Director (Nicholson School of Communication & Media)
Ellen Kang, Associate Professor (Physics)
Alison Cares, Associate Professor (Sociology)
Melanie Hinojosa, Associate Professor (Sociology)


Successful Course Design, Transformation or Innovation 2024

John Walker, Associate Professor (Anthropology)
Rani Vajravelu, Senior Lecturer (Biology)
Tamra Legron-Rodriguez, Associate Lecturer (Chemistry)
Sercan Sengun, Assistant Professor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media)
Zhongzhou Chen, Associate Professor (Physics)
Eduardo Mucciolo, Professor (Physics)
Alisha Janowsky, Senior Lecturer (Psychology)
Shannon Whitten, Senior Lecturer (Psychology)
Rui Xie, Assistant Professor (Statistics & Data Science)


Individualized Instruction, Supervision or Mentorship 2024

Erin Hanson, Assistant Professor (Chemistry)
Betsy Kalin, Assistant Professor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media)
Daniel Novatnak, Associate Instructor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media)
Barbara Kinsey, Associate Professor (School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs)
Jacqueline Woerner, Assistant Professor (Sociology)
Bill Huang, Associate Professor (Statistics & Data Science)

High Impact or High-Quality Instruction 2023

Stacy Barber, Professor (Anthropology)
Neil Duncan, Associate Professor (Anthropology)
Amanda Groff, Senior Lecturer (Anthropology)
Sandra Wheeler, Associate Lecturer (Anthropology)
Peter Sinelli, Senior Lecturer (Anthropology)
Paul Varcholik, Instructor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media)
Karen Mottarella, Senior Lecturer (Psychology)
Michael Loree, Instructor (Sociology)
Aubrey Jewett, Associate Professor (School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs)


Successful Course Design or Transformation 2023

Christa Diercksen, Associate Lecturer (Biology)
Michele Yeargain, Instructor (Biology)
Nicole Lapeyrouse, Lecturer (Chemistry)
Rachid Ait Maalem Lachen, Associate Lecturer (Mathematics)
Piotr Mikusinski, Professor (Mathematics)
Barry Sandler, Associate Professor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media)
Archana Dubey, Senior Lecturer (Physics)
Richard Jerousek, Lecturer (Physics)
William Kaden, Associate Professor (Physics)
Adam LaMee, Instructor (Physics)
Laurene Tetard, Associate Professor (Physics)
Drew Doyle, Instructor (Statistics and Data Science)
Nizam Uddin, Professor (Statistics & Data Science)


Successful Course Design or Transformation 2023

Christa Diercksen, Associate Lecturer (Biology)
Michele Yeargain, Instructor (Biology)
Nicole Lapeyrouse, Lecturer (Chemistry)
Rachid Ait Maalem Lachen, Associate Lecturer (Mathematics)
Piotr Mikusinski, Professor (Mathematics)
Barry Sandler, Associate Professor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media)
Archana Dubey, Senior Lecturer (Physics)
Richard Jerousek, Lecturer (Physics)
William Kaden, Associate Professor (Physics)
Adam LaMee, Instructor (Physics)
Laurene Tetard, Associate Professor (Physics)
Drew Doyle, Instructor (Statistics and Data Science)
Nizam Uddin, Professor (Statistics & Data Science)


OSCAR: Outstanding Scholarship, Creative Works, and REsearch

This annual recognition acknowledges and celebrates faculty member’s exceptional achievements in research, scholarship or creative activities. See below and the nomination site for more information:

  • Faculty members may nominate a colleague to their chair/director for consideration.
  • For each unit, chairs and directors can nominate a total of three (3) or up to 10% of their full-time faculty (whichever is the higher number) of any rank.
  • Selected faculty will be recognized at a college event.
  • Selected faculty will receive a certificate of recognition.
  • Not all nominees will receive recognition.
  • Recognition does not include financial incentive.
Nominate A Faculty Member

 

Winners

Click a button to reveal the winners for that timeframe.

Impact in the Mathematical Sciences

Kuppalapalle Vajravelu, Professor (Mathematics)

Impact in the Natural Sciences

Madhab Neupane, Associate Professor (Physics)

Impact in the Social Sciences

Christopher Roda, Technical Art Instructor (Florida Interactive Enter
Jihyun Kim, Professor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media)
Patric Spence, Professor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media)
Sercan Şengün, Assistant Professor (Nicholson School of Communication & Media)

Major Agency Award in the Natural Sciences

Enrique Del Barco, Pegasus Professor (Physics)

Major Awards in the Mathematical Sciences

Basak Gurel, Professor (Mathematics)
HanQin Cai, Endowed Assistant Professor (Statistics & Data Sciences)
Hsin-Hsiung “Bill” Huang, Associate Professor (Statistics & Data Sciences)
Robert Jenkins, Associate Professor (Mathematics)
Teng Zhang, Associate Professor (Mathematics)

Major Awards in the Natural Sciences

Anna Savage, Associate Professor (Biology)
Christina Kwapich, Assistant Professor (Biology)
Jonathan Caranto, Assistant Professor (Chemistry)
Li Fang, Assistant Professor (Physics)
Linda Walters, Pegasus Professor (Biology)
Melinda Donnelly, Assistant Research Scientist (Biology)
Vasilieos Anagnastopoulos, Associate Professor (Chemistry)
Xiaohu Xia, Associate Professor (Chemistry)

Major Awards in the Social Sciences

Alison Cares, Associate Professor (Sociology)
Amanda Groff, Senior Lecturer (Anthropology)
Amy Donley, Associate Professor (Sociology)
Amy Reckdenwalkd, Associate Professor (Sociology)
Chelsea LeNoble, Assistant Professor (Psychology)
Emily Zavodny, Assistant Professor (Anthropology)
Jacopo Baggio, Associate Professor (School of Politics, Security, & International Affairs)
Jacqueline Woerner, Associate Professor (Sociology)
Kelsey Larsen, Assistant Professor (School of Politics, Security, & International Affairs)
Lidia Meshesha, Associate Professor (Psychology)
Mindy Shoss, Professor (Psychology)
Neil Duncan, Associate Professor (Anthropology)
Sandra Wheeler, Senior Lecturer (Anthropology)
Sarah Barber, Professor (Anthropology)

Major Foundation Awards in the Mathematical Sciences

Alexander Tovbis, Professor (Mathematics)

Major Foundation Awards in the Natural Sciences

Enrique Del Barco, Pegasus Professor (Physics)
Matthieu Baudelet, Associate Professor (Chemistry)

Major Proposals in the Natural Sciences

Addie Dove, Interim Department Chair, Associate Professor (Physics)
Duy Le, Associate Scientist (Physics)
Kerri Donaldson Hanna, Associate Professor (Physics)
Laurene Tetard, Professor (Physics)
Talat Rahman, Pegasus and Distinguished Professor (Physics)
Titel Jurca, Associate Professor (Chemistry)
Volodymyr Turkowski, Research Assistant Professor (Physics)

Major Proposals in the Social Sciences

Joseph Schmidt, Associate Professor (Psychology)
Scott Carter, Professor (Sociology)
Shannon Carter, Professor (Sociology)