Joseph, Narayanan named Clemson University Researchers of the Year

An architect improving patient safety and a physiologist developing more productive crops earned recognition as 2025 Clemson University Researchers of the Year.

Anjali Joseph, the Spartanburg Regional Health System Endowed Chair in Architecture + Health Design and director of the Center for Health Facilities Design and Testing, was named senior Researcher of the Year. Sruthi Narayanan, associate professor of plant and environmental sciences, was named junior Researcher of the Year. Awards were announced at the 2025 Clemson University Research Symposium May 7.

“Anjali and Sruthi offer excellent examples of the powerful impact of university research. The results of their work have been put into practice in the health care and agriculture industries, respectively, to directly improve patient health care and to help farmers boost profitability while supporting the rising global demand for food,” said Tanju Karanfil, senior vice president for research, scholarship and creative endeavors. “I congratulate them on this well-deserved honor and look forward to their future research pursuits.”

Through her research, Joseph is helping health care systems improve patient safety by reimagining and redesigning facilities that are more efficient and less stressful for providers, leading directly to improved patient outcomes. Joseph’s research has been supported by numerous federal agencies, foundations and industry, which is putting her work to good use. Her research on operating room design, for example, led to the development of a prototype OR now implemented in ambulatory surgery centers nationwide. This spring, her team earned a national award for work on the design and evaluation of new patient rooms for Indiana University Health’s new hospital in downtown Indianapolis. Joseph has earned numerous national recognitions for her work and was twice named among the 25 most influential people by Healthcare Design Magazine.

“It is a true privilege to be able to work on projects that have a meaningful impact on the lives of patients and providers at healthcare facilities in South Carolina and beyond,” said Joseph, a faculty member in the College of Architecture, Art and Construction. “The highly collaborative and supportive environment at Clemson has enabled our team to be recognized as an industry thought leader. I am deeply honored to be awarded the senior Researcher of the Year Award and remain excited for the opportunities ahead.”

Narayanan’s research aims to unravel the resilience mechanisms agronomic crops use to manage abiotic stress from heat, drought and other climate conditions. This work supports the development of crop varieties that are environmentally sustainable, heat- and drought-tolerant and profitable for growers. She has received support from federal and state agencies, as well as industry collaborators, and mentored numerous visiting scientists, postdoctoral research associates and graduate, undergraduate and high school students in South Carolina. Narayanan has quickly garnered national recognition in her field, being elected to serve in multiple leadership roles within professional societies. Currently, she is the chair-elect of the Crop Physiology and Metabolism Division of the Crop Science Society of America. Among several national awards, Narayanan received the prestigious Crop Science Society of America Early Career Award in 2021.

“I am truly honored to receive the 2025 junior Researcher of the Year Award. This recognition reflects not only my work but also the dedication and passion of my research team, including students and postdoctoral scholars,” said Narayanan, a faculty member in the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences. “I am deeply grateful to my nominators, mentors, family and everyone who has supported me over the years. I view this award as a responsibility to continue pursuing impactful research and to contribute to society through research, education and service.”

For Researcher of the Year, each college nominates 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.

In addition to Narayanan, junior faculty nominees were Kristen Duncan, assistant professor, teaching and learning, College of Education; Casey Hopkins, assistant professor, School of Nursing, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences; Matthew Koski, assistant professor, biological sciences, College of Science; Shunyu Liu, assistant professor, automotive engineering, College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences; Jiahui Mo, assistant professor, management, Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business; Vivek Sharma, assistant professor, Nieri Department of Construction and Real Estate Development, College of Architecture, Art and Construction; and John Thames, assistant professor, philosophy and religion, College of Arts and Humanities.

Additional senior faculty nominees were Jody Cripps, associate professor, languages, College of Arts and Humanities; Adam Hoover, professor, Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences; William Kettinger, William S. Lee distinguished professor, management, Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business; Darris Means, professor, educational and organizational leadership development, College of Education; Sourav Saha, professor, chemistry, College of Science; Guido Schnabel, professor, plant and environmental sciences, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences; and Heidi Zinzow, professor, psychology, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences.

“Congratulations to all of our nominees,” Karanfil said. “This is a tremendous group of scholars, all deserving of this recognition. Being nominated by your college for this award is a great honor.”