Spring awards ceremony; 23 faculty, staff and students to be honored

Robin Kowalski, Centennial Professor of Psychology, is the author or co-author of several books. Kowalski was named by Princeton Review as one of the best 300 professors in the nation and was selected as a finalist for the 2013 and 2014 South Carolina Governor’s Professor of the Year Awards. Prior to receiving the distinction of this award, Kowalski has been recognized with Clemson University’s Award of Distinction, the College of Business and Behavioral Science Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and its Senior Research Award, the Phil Prince Award, the Women’s Commission Outstanding Female Faculty Member and the Award for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Collaboration. She was also inducted into the inaugural class of recipients of the University Research, Scholarship, and Artistic Achievement Award. “Dr. Kowalski’s teaching efforts are far-reaching, as her impact can be felt by the students in her classroom, by the student researchers in her laboratory, by the children she reaches via her community outreach efforts, as well as by educators and academic administrators across the country,” a former student wrote.

Sruthi Narayanan, assistant professor of Crop Ecophysiology, developed an innovative research program focusing on interdisciplinary research relating climate change, food security and sustainable agriculture. Her goal is to prepare future generation of scientists who would carry the vision of sustainable cropping systems which provide food security for all. Her nominator praised her for “diligently building a teaching program that is inclusive and focused on developing independent thought, knowledge, and critical thinking skills in students.” Sruthi was also recognized for designing, developing and offering additional courses and for establishing high expectations for her students, encouraging and working with them so they may reach levels they once thought impossible.

Ellen Breazel, senior lecturer and assistant director for Data Science Outreach and Online Education, School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, is one of the founders and co-directors of the online master’s in data science and analytics program. Her interests include statistical computing and statistics education. Among her many outreach efforts is her work in support of K-12 statistics education and she currently serves as the higher education chair for the College Board Advanced Placement Statistics Test Development Committee. “Dr. Breazel worked closely with colleagues in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences and in the Department of Management to determine the curriculum to be used in the Data Science and Analytics program. She also developed industry relationships with companies who expressed interest in hiring graduates of the program. She reviews student applications, advises students and provides unique industry interaction opportunities for students and serves as project advisor for all students in the program,” a nominator wrote.

Christopher Norfolk, senior lecturer, Chemical Engineering, is an alum who earned master’s and doctoral degrees at Notre Dame. He joined Advanced Technologies International as a program manager responsible for the research, development and implementation of advanced materials for defense applications and served as an adjunct assistant professor. “Chris has long been one of the most dedicated educators in ChBE, helping students learn chemical engineering concepts after hours and on weekends, taking class materials to injured students in the hospital, and creating custom educational plans for students with significant disabilities – his care for the ‘whole student’ is beyond comparison,” a nominator wrote.

Krista Rudolph, senior lecturer, Biology, received her B.S. from Clemson in Science Teaching/Biological in 1990. She then received her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Clemson in 2002. Rudolph has been an instructor at Clemson since 2007. During the pandemic, her students appreciated her extra efforts to go well beyond their expectations on Zoom.

Vladimir Matic, senior lecturer, Political Science, has been a lecturer and visiting professor since 1996. Matic teaches international relations and foreign policy, diplomacy and negotiation, as well as Middle East and comparative European politics. He organizes and leads summer study abroad programs to Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia. He served as a consultant for the United States Institute of Peace and as a foreign diplomat in the Baltics for 33 years.

Bradley S. Meyer, professor, Physics & Astronomy, Nuclear Astrophysics, has made fundamental contributions to our understanding about how stars and the early universe produced the chemical elements. Since the early 1990s, he has also been particularly interested in the implications of nucleosynthesis and galactic chemical evolution for cosmo-chemistry. 

Laine Mears, professor and BMW Smartstate Chair of Automotive Manufacturing, is the founding faculty member in the Automotive Engineering department. He teaches and conducts research in manufacturing process control, new process development and manufacturing equipment diagnostics at CU-ICAR. He currently directs the National Science Foundation’s THINKER Research Traineeship Program that educates graduate students concurrently with technical college students on human-technology issues.

Clarissa A. Mendez, senior lecturer, School of Architecture, is the adviser to the Clemson Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students. One nominator stated she is, “the epitome of what it means to be an educator, leader, adviser, advocate and friend.” Another said, “She represents everything that Clemson has always aspired to be, a place where leadership thrives through the creation of future community leaders and advocates.

Jessica McKenzie Den Haese, Mechanical Engineering major with Psychology minor, is a member of the Honors College. She is a Thomas F. Chapman Leadership Scholar and received the Alpha Phi Omega J. Lawrence & Renee P. Keese and the Jansen Family Emerging scholarships. Service has been a key part of her life since she was a young girl and she extends helping others to her research and work. 

Marissa Jansen, a Health Sciences major, is a member of the Debate Society as well as Clemson University Student Government’s Council on Diversity Affairs. She is the founder and director of the Homeless Period Project at Clemson and “serves with a selfless heart while always trying to improve the Clemson community,” a nominator said.

Dr. Ted Swann, physician, is a Clemson and Medical University of South Carolina graduate. Swann has worked tirelessly to educate the public about all aspects of COVID-19, including the importance of masks, testing and vaccinations. He studied national, state and local data; provided weekly posts that many in Clemson and beyond relied on; and has served as an invaluable adviser to the Clemson City Council.

Walt Hunter, associate professor of World Literature and associate chair of the English Department, is recognized for his love of teaching and his advocacy and care for students. “Dr. Hunter is deserving of this award because he truly cares about his students having a successful academic experience,” one nominator wrote. A colleague wrote: “Walt ensures that students in his courses feel valued, capable and appreciated.””

Maria Herbst, director of Educational Services for the Nieri Family Student-Athlete Enrichment Center has been on the forefront of the athletics learning specialist profession, participating in research and national committee work to guide national standards for learning specialist job duties and expectations and best practices for institutions when serving academically at-risk student-athletes. She has guided the development of training sessions for tutors and academic mentors about NCAA rules, academic integrity and educational strategies.

William H. “Billy” Edwards, doctoral candidate in the International, Family, and Community Studies program; director of Clemson’s Center for Behavior Analysis. Edwards, who was born with cerebral palsy, will graduate this year from the Ph.D. program in International Family and Community Studies. A faculty member stated Edwards’ “scholarly record and professional service record are those of an assistant professor.” Nominators called him a great teacher who is compassionate and who has had to overcome many hurdles. One stated he “has a deep and personal understanding of accessibility and inclusion.” He also is a University employee, directing the Center for Behavior Analysis, which trains and credentials behavior analysts who in turn help children, parents and educators deal with behavior problems.

Xiuping Jiang, professor of food microbiology, Food, Nutrition and Packaging. Jiang’s research helps keep people safe by reducing their exposure to microbial pathogens, such as human noroviruses, the No. 1 cause of foodborne disease in the United States, and other leading foodborne bacterial pathogens. 

Sean Flynn, media production manager for Clemson Extension,has been on the Making It Grow team since 1999 and has contributed in a variety of roles increasing the visibility and success of the program. Making It Grow has earned 20 Emmy and Telly Awards. As executive producer, Flynn oversees and directs all aspects of 40 programs annually, along with radio spots and podcasts. He also manages social media, including recent Facebook live-streaming during the pandemic.

Nathan Long, executive director of IT Customer Services, leads a diverse team of IT professionals to provide the best possible level of customer service and responsiveness to support teaching, learning and service across campus. Long has spearheaded numerous strategic projects and initiatives directly tied to providing more effective and efficient service to faculty, staff, and students, including implementing the campus virtual desktop solution for remote access to key software platforms, revolutionizing the way customers connect with the IT Service Desk by introducing chat and text support options for quick service, as well as overhauling the IT organization’s service management system to provide better responsiveness and allocation of support resources.

Margaret Ptacek, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, has dedicated much of her career to training and promoting women as students, postdocs and faculty members for achieving success in science careers. She is director of TIGERS Advance, serving as a champion for women and other underrepresented groups to ensure women are respected and valued members of the Clemson community.

R. Phil Landreth, is an alum who rose through the ranks to become chief of staff and chief operating officer of the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. He has chaired numerous university committees. In 2017, he joined the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs as its associate vice provost for academic operations.

Mark A. Schlautman, professor of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, has mentored students involved in the Student Chapter of Engineers Without Borders and three EWB Creative Inquiry projects since 2008. The students focused primarily on developing communities in Central America and West Africa. Schlautman also distinguished himself through his service as a senior advocate for the TIGERS Advance Program. A member of the Creative Inquiry team said of Schlautman, “Over the years I have seen how he invests in each student – by asking them meaningful questions about their work and providing his expertise in a manageable and encouraging manner.

Kea Payton, Ph.D. student, Biological Sciences in the Conservation of Marine Resources lab, is a team leader for the lab’s Creative Inquiry project. Her research focuses on the impact of marine debris and debris removal on the coral reef community in the Florida Keys. “Kea is determined to give us professional experiences and support to build our resumes and confidence when applying to grad schools, internships, jobs, etc.,” one team member said. “I am so grateful to have come under her mentorship and think it will be one of the most influential experiences in my time at Clemson. Kea has added so much value to my Clemson degree and college experience.”