Awards Include Farfel Award, Moores Professorship and Individual Awards for Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Undergraduate and Graduate Mentoring

Congratulations to the seven College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics faculty members who were honored for excellence in the areas of teaching, mentoring, research, service and scholarship. These exceptional faculty members have brought national recognition to the University of Houston.

The awards are among the highest honors bestowed by the University of Houston.

“Congratulations to this outstanding group of faculty. Their dedication to teaching, mentoring, research and service serves as an example of the fundamental mission of the college,” said Dan E. Wells, NSM dean.

Esther Farfel Award

Richard Willson, Biology & Biochemistry
The Farfel Award, the highest honor accorded to a University faculty member, is a symbol of overall career excellence. Recipients are chosen for the significance and national/international impact of their research or creative activity, outstanding teaching ability, and distinctive and exemplary service to the University, the profession, and the community.

Moores Professorship

Kresimir Josic, Mathematics
This five-year, renewable professorship is given to faculty in recognition of outstanding teaching, research and service.

Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creativity – Professor

Rene Bellwied, Physics
UH presents two awards at the Professor rank to faculty who have a substantial continuing record of outstanding research, scholarship and creative activities.

Teaching Excellence Award – Provost’s Core

Melahat Almus, Mathematics
This award is given to faculty who have demonstrated outstanding teaching in undergraduate core curriculum courses.

Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award

Donald Kouri, Physics
Thomas Teets, Chemistry
This award recognizes the mentorship efforts of UH faculty at all stages of their careers. The award acknowledges faculty who are making a significant impact in their field by supporting and mentoring undergraduate students in research and scholarship endeavors and who have demonstrated at least five years of mentorship involvement.

Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award

Wei-Kan Chu, Physics
This new award recognizes a faculty member who has had outstanding success in mentoring graduate students. The UH Graduate School will enter Chu into the regional Conference of Southern Graduate Schools Outstanding Mentor Award competition which opens each year in the fall semester.

- Kathy Major, College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics