Faculty members honored for excellence in teaching, research and enhancing the Clemson Experience

Eleven faculty members received awards from the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences in an Oct. 26 celebration at the Owen Pavilion on the shores of Lake Hartwell.

Honorees were: Rodrigo Martinez-Duarte, Jon Calhoun, Ashok Mishra, Delphine Dean, Congyue Peng, Christopher Parkinson, Christopher Saski, Lior Rennert, Fadi Abdeljawad, Prasad Rangaraju and Beshah Ayalew.

Their family, friends and colleagues came together to help celebrate the awards.

“Our college faculty awards reflect the University’s rich tradition of excellence in teaching, research, scholarship and service,” said Anand Gramopadhye, dean of the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. “We also honor those who have made or are making contributions to enhancing our students’ Clemson Experience.”

Here’s more on each award in the order in which it was presented:

Murray Stokely Award
Winner: Rodrigo Martinez-Duarte, associate professor of mechanical engineering
About the award: Given to a faculty member who has demonstrated excellence in teaching engineering at the undergraduate and/or graduate level

Junior Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching
Winner: Jon Calhoun, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering
About the award: Recognizes excellence in teaching at the undergraduate and/or graduate level with an emphasis on the previous two years and is reserved for faculty members with fewer than seven years in higher education

McQueen Quattlebaum Faculty Achievement Award
Winner: Ashok Mishra, professor of civil engineering
About the award: Recognizes faculty accomplishments in the preceding year and distinctions and awards over the past three years


Collaboration Award
Winners: Delphine Dean, Ron and Jane Lindsay Family Innovation Professor; Congyue Peng, research assistant professor of bioengineering; Christopher Parkinson, professor of biological sciences; Christopher Saski, associate professor of systems genomics; and Lior Rennert, assistant professor of biostatistics
About the award: Recognizes a team of two or more faculty who have demonstrated exemplary and synergistic collaboration in research and/or teaching which has made notable contributions to the college

Junior Researcher of the Year
Winner: Fadi Abdeljawad, Stanzione Assistant Professor of mechanical engineering
About the award: Recognizes the efforts of high-achieving faculty whose work is improving society through the generation and dissemination of new knowledge.

Esin Gulari Leadership and Service Award
Winner: Beshah Ayalew, Dean’s Distinguished Professor of Automotive Engineering
About the award: Recognizes college faculty who undertake leadership and service roles that require selfless commitment of time and effort.

Mentoring Award
Winner: Prasad Rangaraju, professor of civil engineering
About the award: Honors a faculty member who goes above and beyond in enriching the faculty and student Clemson experience