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Benedum Distinguished Scholar Award Recipients

2023-2024

Melissa Blank
Associate Professor of Psychology
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Nina Assimakopoulos
Associate Professor of Flute
College of Creative Arts
Category of Humanities and the Arts

Sarah Burke-Spolaor
Associate Professor of Astronomy
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Physical Sciences and Technology

2022-2023

Vagner Augusto Benedito
Professor of Genetics and Plant Physiology
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
Category of Biosciences and Health Sciences

Michael Sherwin
Associate Professor of Photography
College of Creative Arts
Category of Humanities and the Arts

Weichao Tu
Associate Professor of Space Physics
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Physical Science and Technologies

2021-2022

Joel Beeson and Dana Coester (co-recipients)
Both Professors of Journalism
Reed College of Media
Category of Humanities and the Arts

Christina L. Duncan
Professor of Psychology
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Jessica Hoover
Professor of Chemistry
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Physical Science and Technologies

2020-2021

Cari Carpenter
Professor of English
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Humanities and the Arts

Lisa Holland
Professor of Analytical Chemistry
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Physical Sciences and Technologies

Cheryl McNeil
Professor of Clinical Child Psychology 
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Behavioral and Social Science

2019-2020

Michael Germana
Professor of English
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Humanities and the Arts

Joshua Hall
Professor and Chair of Economics and Director of the Center for Free Enterprise
Chambers College of Business and Economics
Category of Behavioral and Social Sciences

John Hu
Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Statler Chair in Engineering for Natural Gas Utilization, and Director of the Center for Innovation in Gas Research and Utilization
Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
Category of Physical Sciences and Technology

2018-2019

Duncan Lorimer
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Physical Sciences and Technology

Peter Schaeffer
Professor of Resource Economics and Management
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
Category of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Bernard Schreurs
Professor of Neuroscience
School of Medicine
Category of Biosciences and Health Sciences

Janice Spleth
Professor of World Literatures, Languages and Linguistics
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Humanities and the Arts

2017-2018

Paul A. Cassak
Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Physical Sciences and Technology

2016-2017

Katherine B. Aaslestad
Professor of History
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Humanities and the Arts

Brad R. Humphreys
Professor of Economics
College of Business and Economics
Category of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Paul R. Lockman
Professor of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences
School of Pharmacy
Category of Biosciences and Health Sciences

Aldo Humberto Romero
Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Physical Sciences and Technology

2015-2016

Cheryl E. Ball
Associate Professor of English
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Humanities and the Arts

JoNell Strough
Professor of Psychology
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Jingxin Wang
Professor of Forestry & Natural Resources
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
Category of Bioscience and Health Sciences

2014-2015

Kirk Hazen
Professor of English
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Humanities and the Arts

Amy E. Hessl
Professor of Geography
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Behavioral and Social Science

Maura McLaughlin
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Physical Sciences and Technology

James W. Simpkins
Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology
WVU School of Medicine
Category of Biosciences and Health Sciences

2013-2014

Ann Marie Lofaso
Professor of Law
Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development
WVU College of Law
Category of Humanities and the Arts

Daniel W. McNeil
Professor of Psychology
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Category of Biosciences and Health Sciences

Nianqiang Wu
Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
Category of Physical Science and Technology

2012-2013

Terry Gullion
Professor of Chemistry
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

Mark Wicclair
Professor of Philosophy
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Humanities and the Arts Category

Randall Jackson
Professor of Geology and Geography
Director, Regional Research Institute
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Category

Joseph Morton
Professor of Plant Pathology
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

2011-2012

Arun Ross
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

Mary Ann Samyn
Associate Professor of English
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Humanities and the Arts Category

Jianbo Yao
Associate Professor of Animal and Nutritional Sciences
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

2010-2011

David Lederman
Professor of Physics
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

Alvin H. Moss
Professor Medicine
School of Medicine
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

2009-2010

Mark Brazaitis
Associate Professor of English
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Humanities and the Arts Category

2008-2009

Charles Jaffé
Professor of Chemistry
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

Yon Rojanasakul
Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
School of Pharmacy
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

2007-2008

Elizabeth Fones-Wolf
Professor of History
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Humanities and the Arts Category

2006-2007

Jorge A. Flores
Professor of Biology
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

Nancy C. Giles
Professor of Physics
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

2005-2006

Tracy Morris
Professor of Psychology
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Category

Christopher Wilkinson
Professor of Music
College of Creative Arts
Award in the Humanities and the Arts Category

2004-2005

Robert A. Dailey
Professor of Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

Earl E. Scime
Professor of Physics
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

2003-2004

James C. McCroskey
Professor of Communication Studies
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Category

Timothy R. Sweet
Professor of English
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Humanities and the Arts Category

2002-2003

Richard A. Brisbin, Jr.
Associate Professor of Political Science
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Category

2001-2002

Ismail Celik
Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
CEMR
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

John Cuthbert
Curator, West Virginia and Regional History Collection
and Director, Special Collections
West Virginia University Libraries
Award in the Humanities and the Arts Category

William T. Stauber
Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology
School of Medicine
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

2000-2001

Peter Lightfoot
Associate Professor of Music
Division of Music, CAC
Award in the Humanities and the Arts Category

Linda Butler
Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, CAFCS
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

Mark Koepke
Professor of Physics
Department of Physics, A&S
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

1999-2000

James Harms
Professor of English
Department of English
Award in the Humanities and the Arts Category

Ali F. AbuRhama, M.D.
Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Vascular Section
Department of Surgery
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

Ronald J. Balvers
Professor of Economics
Department of Economics
Award in the Behavior and Social Sciences Category

Harry Gingold
Professor of Mathematics
Department of Mathematics
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

1998-1999

Kenneth O. St. Louis
Professor of Speech-Language Pathology
Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology
Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Category

William H. Hoover
Professor of Animal and Veterinary Science
Division of Animal and Veterinary Science
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

Krzysztof Chris Ciesielski
Professor of Mathematics
Department of Mathematics
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technologies Category

1997-1998

Cun-Quan Zhang
Professor of Mathematics
Department of Mathematics
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

Richard Walls
Professor of Educational Psychology
Department of Educational Psychology and the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Category

Nyles Charon
Professor of Microbiology
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

William MacDonald
Professor of Plant Pathology
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
Award in the Interdisciplinary Category

1996-1997

Kung Wang
Professor of Chemistry
Department of Chemistry
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technologies Category

Robert Blobaum
Professor of History
Department of History
Award in the Humanities and Performing Arts Category

Philip Chase
Professor and Chair of Psychology
Department of Psychology
Award in the Behavio9ral and Social Sciences Category

Christine Baylis
Professor of Physiology
Department of Physiology
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

1995-1996

Larry Halliburton
Professor and Chair of Physics
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technologies Category

Timothy Dow Adams
Professor of English
Award in the Humanities and Performing Arts Category

Mark Wicclair
Professor of Philosophy
Award in the Interdisciplinary Category

E. Keith Inskeep
Professor of Animal Science
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

Joe D. Hagan
Professor of Political Science
Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Category

1994-1995

Kathleen McNerney
Professor of Spanish
Award in the Humanities and Performing Arts Category

James R. Elkins
Professor of Law
Award in the Interdisciplinary Category

Thomas W. Kammer
Professor of Geology
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

Roger A. Lohmann
Professor of Social Work
Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Category

N. Leroy Lapp
Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

1993-1994

Robert M. Maxon
Professor of History
Award in the Humanities and Performing Arts Category

Ali Feliachi
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technologies Category

Dale K. Colyer
Professor of Agricultural Economics
Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Category

Kenneth S. Landreth
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

1992-1993

Robert L. Goodman
Professor of Physiology
Award in the Biosciences and Health Sciences Category

H. Arthur Weldon
Professor of Physics
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technologies Category

W. Michael Reed
Professor of Instructional Computing and English Education
Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Category

Patrick W. Conner
Professor of English
Award in the Humanities and Performing Arts Category

1991-1992

Wesley Bagby, History
Emory Kemp, Civil Engineering
Knox VanDyke, Pharmacology
Y. J. Wang, Mining Engineering

1990-1991

Paul Brown, Physiology and Pharmacology
E. Mark Cummings, Psychology
Hota GangaRao, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Ronald Lewis, History
Sam Nadler, Mathematics

1989-1990

Margaret Albrink
Professor of Medicine
Award in the Biosciences and Medicine Category

John Beall
Professor of Music
Award in the Humanities and the Arts Category

Nigel Clark
Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Award in the Physical Sciences and Technology Category

Walter Labys
Professor of Mineral & Resource Economics
Award in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Category

1988-1989

Brenda Colansanti, Ophthalmology
Andy Lattal, Psychology
Kenneth Showalter, Chemistry

1987-1988

Roy Butcher, Ob-Gyn
Henry Gould, Mathematics
Rob Hawkins, Psychology
John Johnston, English

1986-1987

Bruce Caterson, Biochemistry
John Cone, Psychology
Nar Dalal, Chemistry
Barton Hudson, Music

1985-1986

Terrence Hoagwood, English
Ken Martis, Geology & Geography
Pedro Montano, Physics
Randall Reyer, Medicine