Research achievements and excellence honored during annual celebration
More than 80 Virginia Tech faculty members were honored during the Celebrating Scholarly Distinction ceremony.
Faculty whose remarkable achievements drove Virginia Tech scholarship forward in 2024 were honored during Virginia Tech’s annual research celebration on Nov. 6.
“Virginia Tech’s researchers and scholars are the engine behind not only our achievement of global distinction, but of the pursuit of our vision and the embodiment of our motto, Ut Prosim,” Dan Sui, senior vice president and chief research and innovation officer, said during his remarks. “Your work, which we are gathered to honor today, is what makes Virginia Tech a special, impactful, and remarkable institution.”
More than 80 Virginia Tech faculty members were honored during the Celebrating Scholarly Distinction ceremony, including the first four recipients of the Jacob A. Lutz III Award for Eminent Scholars. Recipients in the four disciplinary categories include:
- Science, engineering, and technology: Sophia Economou, professor and T. Marshall Hahn, Jr. Chair, Department of Physics, College of Science
- Social sciences and technology: Zheng “Phil” Xiang, professor and head of the Howard Feiertag Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Pamplin College of Business
- Health and life sciences: John Rossmeisl, associate department head and the Dr. and Mrs. Dorsey Taylor Mahin professor of neurology and neurosurgery, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
- Arts and design: Markus Breitschmid, professor, School of Architecture, College of Architecture, Arts, and Design
The event also recognized more than 30 researchers who have received highly prestigious or prestigious awards as well as those who have attracted last year’s largest sponsored programs. Also honored were faculty pursuing major sponsored opportunities and those who have excelled in exceptional creativity and innovation.
“There are too many incredible things going on at Virginia Tech to go through them all right now,” Sui said. “Every researcher is working in the spirit of our motto and in the pursuit of knowledge and impact greater than themselves.”
Jon Hankey was honored for a Lifetime Achievement in Sponsored Research. A senior transportation fellow with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Hankey has won a total of $103.8 million in awards from 109 projects since 1998. His $53.6 million in award percent credit is the highest for a research faculty member in Virginia Tech history.
The awards celebration came in the midst of the university pursuing one of its core aspirations – Virginia Tech Global Distinction – which is a commitment to institutional excellence across research, teaching, and engagement that makes the university a destination for the best faculty, students, and partners from the commonwealth, the nation, and the world.
“Global distinction at its core is about talent,” said Cyril Clarke, executive vice president and provost, during his remarks. “It’s about the university’s imperative ability to recruit, to develop, and to retain talent. That’s what we have the opportunity to address and celebrate today.”
Highly prestigious and prestigious awards
- National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship: Mark Barrow, professor of history
- American Sociological Association Cox-Johnson-Frazier Award: David Brunsma, professor of sociology
- American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow: Eric Burger, research director, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative
- Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Germund Dahlquist Prize: Yingda Cheng, professor of mathematics
- Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Fellowship: Eva Collakova, associate professor of plant and environmental sciences
- John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation: Joseph F. Eska, professor of history
- Weed Science Society of America Outstanding Early Career Weed Scientist Award: Michael Flessner, assistant professor of plant and environmental sciences
- American Society of Civil Engineers Wilbur S. Smith Award: Gerardo Flintsch, Dan Pletta Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
- American Nuclear Society Gerald C. Pomraning Award: Alireza Haghighat, Robert E. Hord Jr. Professor of Mechanical Engineering
- Fulbright Scholar Award: Richard Hanowski, division director, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
- Fulbright Scholar Award: James Hawdon, professor of sociology
- American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers New Holland Young Researcher Award: Haibo Huang, associate professor of food science and technology
- Fulbright Scholar Award: Gabriel Isaacman-VanWertz, associate professor of civil and environmental Engineering
- American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology William C. Rose Award: Peter Kennelly, professor of biochemistry
- Optical Society of America Fellow: Giti Khodaparast, professor of physics
- American Psychological Association Fellow: Jungmeen Kim-Spoon, professor of psychology
- American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow: Liwu Li, professor of biological sciences
- Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation Research Grant: Shaowen Luo, assistant professor of economics
- 2023 MacArthur Fellow: Linsey Marr, University Distinguished Professor, Charles P. Lunsford Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship: Deborah Milly, associate professor of political science
- Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award: Michael Moehler, professor of philosophy, politics and economics
- Optical Society of America Emmett N. Leith Medal: Ting-Chung Poon, professor of electrical and computer engineering
- American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow: Naren Ramakrishnan, Thomas L. Phillips Professor of Engineering
- American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow and Mineralogical Society of America Roebling Medal: Nancy Ross, professor of mineralogy
- American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow: Barbara Ryder, J. Byron Maupin Professor Emerita of Engineering
- Fulbright Scholar Award: Andrew Scerri, associate professor of political science
- Fulbright Scholar Award: Julie Shortridge, assistant professor of biological systems engineering
- Northeast Region Weed Science Society of America Outstanding Researcher Award: Vijay Singh, assistant professor of weed science
- National Endowment for the Humanities - Mellon Fellowship: Tyechia Thompson, assistant professor of English
- Society of Civil Engineers Frank M Masters Transportation Engineering Award: Antonio Trani, professor of civil and environmental engineering
- American Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Fellow: Layne Watson, professor emeritus of computer Science
- American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow: Brenda Winkel, professor of biological sciences
Alumni Distinguished Professor
- Anthony Kwame Harrison, professor of sociology
- Raman Kumar, R.V. & A.F. Oliver Professor of Investment Management
- Patty Raun, professor of performance and voice
Lifetime Achievement in Sponsored Research
- Jon Hankey, senior transportation fellow, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
2023 Clarivate Highly Cited
- Wenjing Lou, W.C. English Endowed Professor of Computer Science
- Linsey Marr, University Distinguished Professor, Charles P. Lunsford Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Lina Quan, assistant professor of chemistry
- Walid Saad, professor of electrical and computer engineering
- Kwok Tsui, professor of industrial and systems engineering
- Phil Xiang, department head, Hospitality and Tourism Management
2024 Alumni Award for Research Excellence
- Patrick Huber, William E. Hassinger, Jr. Senior Faculty Fellow, professor of physics
- Jungmeen Kim-Spoon, professor of psychology
Recognized for impactful innovation
- Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors: Michael Bartlett, associate professor of mechanical engineering
- Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors: Eric Burger, research director, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative
- Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors: Rob McCarley, executive director, Fralin Life Sciences Institute
- Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors: Steve Rowson, associate professor of biomedical engineering and mechanics
Recognized for exceptional creativity
- Eiman Elgewely, assistant professor of interior design
- John Irrera, assistant professor of violin
- Charles Nichols, associate professor of composition, creative technologies
- Rachel Lin Weaver, associate professor of creative technologies
Major sponsored awards
Largest award for the university
- Masoud Agah, professor of electrical and computer engineering
- Laura Freeman, deputy director, Virginia Tech National Security Institute
- Lingjia Liu, professor of electrical and computer engineering
- Dwight Viehland, Jack E. Cowling Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
- Joseph Gaeddert, assistant director, Spectrum Dominance Division, Virginia Tech National Security Institute
Largest award within a college or institute
- Kathleen Alexander, professor of fish and wildlife conservation
- Gerardo Flintsch, cirector, Center for Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure at Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
- Jacob Grohs, associate professor of engineering education
- Feng Lin, Leo and Melva Harris Faculty Fellow, professor of chemistry
- Srdan G. Acimovic, assistant professor of plant pathology
- Read Montague , Virginia Tech Carilion Vernon Mountcastle Research Professor
- Paul Morton, assistant professor of biomedical sciences and pathobiology
- Quinton Nottingham, department head, business information technology
- Nicholas Rider, professor of health systems and implementation science
- Mehdi Setareh, professor of architecture
Major sponsored proposals
Largest proposals for the university
- Scott Bailey, professor of electrical and computer engineering
- Stanca Ciupe, professor of mathematics
- Gretchen Matthews, professor of mathematics
- T.M. Murali, professor of computer science
- Zhiwu Wang, associate professor of biological systems engineering
Largest proposals within a college or institute
- Stephanie DeLuca, associate professor, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
- Zach Doerzaph, director, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
- Laura Freeman, deputy director, Virginia Tech National Security Institute
- Kylene Kehn-Hall, professor of virology
- Brook Kennedy, associate professor of industrial design
- Amy Azano, professor of adolescent literacy and rural education
- Quinton Nottingham, department head, business information technology
- Haldre Rogers, associate professor of fish and wildlife conservation
- Serkan Toy, assistant professor of health systems and implementation science
Postdoctoral Associate Service Excellence Award
- Maria Amaya, postdoctoral associate in civil and environmental engineering
Postdoctoral Associate Scholarly Excellence Award
- Freya Olsson, postdoctoral associate in biological sciences
