Clemson University named Mik Carbajales-Dale and Luigi Boccuto its senior and junior Researchers of the Year, respectively.
The university also honored faculty with University Research, Scholarship and Artistic Achievement Awards (URSAAA) in recognition of exceptional achievements in their respective fields.
Awards were announced at Clemson’s 10th Annual Research Symposium on May 6. The annual gathering fosters interdisciplinary collaboration through research presentations, panel discussions and workshops, and recognizes Clemson’s high-achieving researchers for the impact of their work.
“These are highly cited scholars making a profound impact in their respective fields and raising Clemson’s national profile. I congratulate them on their successes and am eager to see the ongoing impact their work will have in their fields and on their communities,” said Tanju Karanfil, senior vice president for research, scholarship and artistic achievement.
For the Researcher of the Year awards, colleges nominate a junior faculty member who received their terminal degree within the past 10 years and a senior faculty member. Winners were selected by an interdisciplinary committee.
Senior Researcher of the Year Mik Carbajales-Dale, professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, is an expert on the energy economy and its environmental impact. He leads the Clemson Energy-Economy-Environment (E3) Systems Analysis Group, which is building decision-support tools to reduce the environmental impacts of technology systems and to understand the structural transformation necessary to advance a prosperous and sustainable energy future.
“I’m honored to receive this award. It’s really a reflection of the great team that I have and all their hard work as well as the fantastic collaborators that we work with. I look forward to being able to work with more folks from across campus and growing our research enterprise further,” said Carbajales-Dale, a faculty member in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences.
Additional nominees for senior Researcher of the Year were Rod Andrew Jr., professor, Department of History and Geography; Timo Heister, professor, School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences; Robert Powell, George B. Hartzog Jr. endowed professor, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences; Corrine Sackett, professor, Department of Education and Human Development; and Scott Swain, professor and Powers distinguished fellow, Department of Marketing.
Junior Researcher of the Year Luigi Boccuto, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, is a clinical geneticist interested in autism spectrum disorder and related conditions, such as Phelan-McDermid syndrome, hereditary cancer, overgrowth syndromes and intellectual disability. His research can help to develop biomarkers for early screening and diagnosis, as well as identify potential treatments.
“This achievement would have not been possible without the constant guidance and support of our dean and director, the invaluable collaboration of my faculty colleagues and, last but not least, the amazing work of our graduate and undergraduate students: this award belongs to them as much as to me,” said Boccuto, a faculty member in the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences.
Additional nominees for junior Researcher of the Year were Rafeal D’Oliveira, assistant professor, School of Mathematical and Statistical Science; Quinn Hiroshi Gibson, assistant professor, Department of Philosophy and Religion; Lindsey Rowe, assistant professor, Department of Education and Human Development; Sharon Sheridan, assistant professor, Department of Management; and Ming Yang, assistant professor, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.
University Research, Scholarship and Artistic Achievement Awards (URSAAA)
URSAAA designation is reserved for faculty members who have achieved the highest levels of national and international recognition in their fields. URSAAA designation is earned by meeting one of these criteria: 1) Amassing more than 1,000 citations on a single publication; 2) Earning exclusive fellowships and national and international honors, awards and recognitions; or 3) Exceeding research expenditures of $1 million in a fiscal year.
The following faculty members earned URSAAA recognition in 2026:
Paula Agudelo, professor, Department of Plant Environmental Sciences (URSAAA Achievement: Annual expenditures exceeding $1 million)
Michelle Cook, professor, Department of Teaching and Learning (URSAAA Achievement: Publication exceeding 1,000 citations)
Alyssa Gamaldo-Roddy, professor, Department of Psychology (URSAAA Achievement: Annual expenditures exceeding $1 million)
Amy Ingram, professor, Department of Management, (URSAAA Achievement: Publication exceeding 1,000 citations)
Yunyi Jia, McQueen Quattlebaum professor, School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering (URSAAA Achievement: Annual expenditures exceeding $1 million)
David Karig, professor, Department of Bioengineering (URSAAA Achievement: Annual expenditures exceeding $1 million)
Ron Landis, clinical associate professor, Department of Management (URSAAA Achievement: Publication exceeding 1,000 citations)
Miguel Larsen, research professor and emeritus faculty, Department of Physics and Astronomy (URSAAA Achievement: Recipient of the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal)
Gang Li, professor, School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering (URSAAA Achievement: Annual expenditures exceeding $1 million)
Ying Mei, professor, Department of Bioengineering (URSAAA Achievement: Annual expenditures exceeding $1 million)
Bradley Meyer, professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy (URSAAA Achievement: Publication exceeding 1,000 citations)
Shahid Mukhtar, professor, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry (URSAAA Achievement: Publication exceeding 1,000 citations)
Fei Peng, professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering (URSAAA Achievement: Annual expenditures exceeding $1 million)
Robert Powell, George B. Hartzog Jr. endowed professor, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (URSAAA Achievement: Recipient of the National Association for Interpretation’s highest honor, the Fellow Award)
Robert Prucka, Alan Kulwicki professor of motorsports engineering, School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering (URSAAA Achievement: Annual expenditures exceeding $1 million)
Greg Reighard, professor emeritus, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (URSAAA Achievement: Fellow of both the American Society for Horticultural Science and the International Society for Horticultural Science, and recipient of the American Pomological Society’s Wilder Medal)
Timothy Sellnow, professor, Department of Communication (URSAAA Achievement: Publication exceeding 1,000 citations)
Windsor Sherrill, provost distinguished professor of public health sciences and senior associate vice president for research, Clemson University School of Health Research (URSAAA Achievement: Annual expenditures exceeding $1 million)
