During the 2024 College of Science Awards Luncheon, the College of Science recognized faculty and staff whose consistent excellence is a credit to their department, school, academy, and/or the college.

Certificates of Teaching Excellence

This award recognizes outstanding faculty members in teaching of undergraduate and graduate students.

  • Aaron Geller, advanced instructor, chemistry
    This certificate recognizes Geller’s phenomenal work at the undergraduate level and the effectiveness of Geller’s unifying theme: "mistakes are valuable learning opportunities" implemented in different settings, including both large sections and lab.
  • Rachel Diana, associate professor, psychology
    This certificate recognizes Diana's innovative approach to education, which focuses on critical thinking skills and connecting teaching to research.

  • Silke Hauf, associate professor, biological sciences
    This certificate recognizes Hauf’s strong commitment to diversity and innovative approach to course and curriculum design. Hauf brings cutting-edge science into 2000 level courses with an accommodative teaching style that allows large classes to more nimbly take on new challenges.

College of Science Award for Outreach Excellence

This award recognizes an individual or team in the College of Science for outstanding achievements that contribute to its outreach mission to the community-at-large, the nation, and/or the world.  It is provided by the Office for Outreach and International Affairs.

  • SEEDS (Seek Education, Explore, DiScover)
    SEEDS is a non-profit organization formed in 1995 to operate the Blacksburg Nature Center. This group of Virginia Tech faculty has worked to provide varied educational opportunities such as science festivals, day camps, and travel camps to over 100,000 children within the Blacksburg community. The organization engages graduate and undergraduate students in their work with the community. Each faculty member brings their unique blend of personality and expertise to create a true partnership between the university, town, and the SEEDS nonprofit.

College of Science Diversity Award

This award honors faculty and staff who have made significant and sustained contributions that foster diversity and an inclusive climate within the college, Virginia Tech, and in the broader community. Successful nominees should have taken a leadership role in increasing diversity, improving the university climate for diverse groups, and/or educating members of the university community to appreciate an increasingly diverse society.

  • Alma Robinson, advanced instructor, physics
    This award recognizes Robinson's high-impact activities in the space of diversity and inclusion such as: Creating QUARKS - QUARKS (QUestion, Answer, Refresh your Knowledge Sessions); implementing a graduate climate survey for the Department of Physics; co-developing a physics peer mentoring program; supporting the American Physical Society STEP UP Physics Project; promoting paid undergraduate research; serving as the physics faculty lead in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence program; and participating on the COS IDEA committee

    Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion has been a foundational aspect in Robinson’s work throughout her career, according to the nomination packet: “It has evolved from being a core tenet of her teaching philosophy to recent years when she has been in leadership roles where she has been instrumental in implementing DEI related programmatic changes to our department and the field of physics.”

College of Science Outstanding Staff 

This award recognizes staff members in the College of Science whose consistent excellence advances their department, school, academy, and/or the college.

  • Rebecca Zimmerman, business manager, biological sciences
    This award honors Zimmerman for her resourceful problem-solving skills and her ability to serve as both team leader and team player.

    According to the nomination packet, Zimmerman is an absolute pleasure to work with. “She greets everyone with a smile and is always willing and happy to help, no matter how busy she is. She makes everyone around her better and is a great asset to our faculty, the department, and the College of Science. Zimmerman always sets high standards and does the best she is capable of. When necessary, she is willing to put in extra time and energy to ensure the success of those around her. This kind of selfless attitude is what we should recognize and reward”.

College of Science Staff Service

This award recognizes an individual College of Science staff member or team led by a College of Science staff member, who demonstrates sustained service that promotes strong communities, in the spirit of Ut Prosim.

  • Ken Knott, NMR facility manager, chemistry
    This award honors Knott’s enormous contribution to the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy lab in Hahn Hall. Knott’s efforts have enhanced the research in the department and beyond by maintaining an outstanding facility and helping researchers use these instruments to make new discoveries. According to the nomination packet, Knott has almost singlehandedly created one of the best NMR facilities in the country with a vibrant user community at Virginia Tech and beyond. Knott has a particular gift for diagnosing and fixing instruments, which has streamlined the facility.

    “He teaches every fall and his COVID protocols have become a standard nationwide. His outgoing and helpful attitude enables the Ut Prosim spirit to spread through the basement of Hahn Hall South.”

College of Science Outstanding Academic Advisor Award

Nominees for this award were not nominated by colleagues, administrators, or even supervisors, but by students. Academic advising is critical for the student experience not only in terms of graduation, but for student growth and development. The recipients of this award went above and beyond to help students achieve their academic goals and conquer challenges. 

  • Jessica Hurdus, academic advisor, mathematics
    According to one student: “Jessica is literally the best. Her ability to put herself in her advisee’s shoes is what’s most impressive. She is patient and always directs you to the appropriate route and helps create new ones when you’re lost. She also monitors your progress and gives due responses.”

    According to another student: “Almost every semester I would have extreme anxiety… I would email Ms. Hurdus and she would reply quickly, taking me seriously and empathetically, and immediately set up a meeting to discuss my possible options. Before getting to the meeting, she would look into alternative classes I could take that would fit my interests and skills, and talk to the professors that taught them about the rigor of those courses. In addition to her academic assistance, she showed me genuine care toward my well-being. She would take the time to ask me about my interests beyond college.”

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