Faculty Awards

The dedication, innovation, curiosity and commitment of FSU College of Arts and Sciences faculty have enhanced Florida State’s standing as a prolific Research I university and launched the careers of nearly 100,000 college alumni. Along the way, they have earned the highest awards FSU bestows upon its esteemed faculty.

Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professors

The Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor award is the highest honor that Florida State University faculty can bestow on a colleague. This award was first presented in 1957-1958 and was known as the Distinguished Professor award until 1981, when it was renamed in honor of the late Vice President for Academic Affairs Robert O. Lawton. At that time, past recipients also were designated Lawton Distinguished Professors.

YEAR RECIPIENT DEPARTMENT
2024-25 Harrison B. Prosper Physics
2022-23 Maxine Montgomery English
2021-22 Jorge Piekarewicz Physics
2021-22 Gary Taylor English
2020-21 Sharon Nicholson Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science
2019-20 Tim Cross Chemistry and Biochemistry, National MagLab
2017-18 Jeffrey Chanton Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science
2016-17 Joseph B. Schlenoff Chemistry and Biochemistry
2015-16 Max D. Gunzburger Scientific Computing
2014-15 Mark A. Riley Physics
2012-13 Naresh S. Dalal Chemistry and Biochemistry
2010-11 Thomas E. Joiner Psychology
2009-10 Richard K. Wagner Psychology
2008-09 Stanley Gontarski English
2007-08 Walter Tschinkel Biological Science
2006-07 Alan G. Marshall Chemistry and Biochemistry
2003-04 David Kirby English
2002-03 Kirby W. Kemper Physics
2001-02 Nancy H. Marcus Oceanography
2000-01 Christopher Tam Mathematics
1999-00 James J. O'Brien Meteorology and Oceanography
1998-99 Myles Hollander Statistics
1997-98 De Witt Sumners Mathematics
1996-97 Joseph Travis Biological Science
1995-96 Janet G. Burroway English
1994-95 Kurt G. Hofer Biological Science
1993-94 Jayaram Sethuraman Statistics
1992-93 James C. Smith Psychology
1991-92 Imre Friedmann Biological Science
1990-91 Donald Robson Physics
1989-90 Richard L. Greaves History
1987-88 Werner Herz Chemistry
1986-87 Daniel Simberloff Biological Science
1985-86 T.N. Krishnamurti Meteorology
1984-85 Frank Proschan Statistics
1984-85 Leo Mandelkern Chemistry
1983-84 J. Herbert Taylor Biological Science
1981-82 Robert Gilmer Mathematics
1980-81 Harry M. Walborsky Chemistry
1979-80 George M. Harper English
1978-79 Seymour L. Hess Meteorology
1977-78 Richard L. Rubenstein Religion
1974-75 Daniel Ralph Kenshalo Psychology
1973-74 I. Richard Savage Statistics
1972-73 Kellogg Wesley Hunt English
1971-72 Lloyd Mumbauer Beidler Biological Science
1970-71 Ralph Allan Bradley Statistics
1969-70 Earl Frieden Chemistry
1967-68 Gregory R. Choppin Chemistry
1966-67 Raymond K. Sheline Chemistry
1963-64 Dorothy Hoffman Modern Languages
1962-63 Michael Kasha Chemistry
1960-61 Ernest Max Grunwald Chemistry
1959-60 Anna Forbes Liddell Philosophy
1958-59 Marian Doris Irish Government
1957-58 William Hudson Rogers English

Distinguished Research Professors

The Distinguished Research Professor Award recognizes outstanding research and/or creative activity of eligible Florida State University faculty. Faculty members within FSU’s College of Arts and Sciences who have been named as Distinguished Research Professors are as follows:

YEAR RECIPIENT DEPARTMENT
2023-24 Paolo Aluffi Mathematics
2023-24 Robin Goodman English
2023-24 Linda Rinaman Psychology
2023-24 Ingo Ludwig Wiedenhoever Physics
2022-23 James Kimbrell English
2022-23 Washington Mio Mathematics
2022-23 Kimberly Hughes Biological Science
2022-23 Markus Huettel Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science
2020-21 Debra Fadool Biological Science
2020-21 Christopher Patrick Psychology
2018-19 Kun Yang Physics
2018-19 Elizabeth Slate Statistics
2018-19 Richard Bertram Mathematics
2017-18 Pam Keel Psychology
2017-18 Hedi Mattoussi Chemistry and Biochemistry
2016-17 Laura Reina Physics
2016-17 John Corrigan Religion
2015-16 Jorge Piekarewicz Physics
2014-15 Alan Spector Psychology
2014-15 David Gilbert Biological Science
2013-14 Anuj Srivastava Statistics
2013-14 Darrin McMahon History
2013-14 Dean Falk Anthropology
2012-13 David Whalley Computer Science
2012-13 Brad Schmidt Psychology
2011-12 Gary Taylor English
2011-12 Eric Chassignet Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science
2011-12 Zuoxin Wang Psychology
2011-12 Bernd Berg Physics
2010-11 Huan-Xiang Zhou Physics
2010-11 Kathleen B. Yancey English
2010-11 Christopher Lonigan Psychology
2009-10 Per Arne Rikvold Physics
2009-10 William Burnett Oceanography
2008-09 Harrison Prosper Physics
2007-08 Joseph Schlenoff Chemistry and Biochemistry
2007-08 Efstratios Manousakis Physics
2007-08 Nancy de Grummond Classics
2006-07 Mark Winegardner English
2006-07 Mark A. Riley Physics
2006-07 Thomas Joiner Psychology
2005-06 Richard Wagner Psychology
2005-06 Stephan von Molnar Physics
2005-06 John Kelsay Religion
2005-06 Jeffrey Chanton Oceanography
2004-05 Ken Roux Biological Science
2004-05 James Brooks Physics
2003-04 Karen Berkley Psychology
2002-03 Walter Tschinkel Biological Science
2002-03 Doron Nof Oceanography
2002-03 Naresh S. Dalal Chemistry and Biochemistry
2001-02 Kenneth Taylor Biological Science
2001-02 Samuel Tabor Physics
2001-02 John Fenstermaker English
2000-01 Allan Clarke Oceanography
2000-01 Timothy Cross Chemistry
1999-00 Robert Holton Chemistry
1999-00 Stanley Gontarski English
1998-99 Alan Marshall Chemistry
1998-99 David Balkwell Biological Science
1997-98 Sharon Nicholson Meteorology
1997-98 Vasken Hagopian Physics
1996-97 Joseph Torgesen Psychology
1996-97 Richard Pfeffer Meteorology
1995-96 Melvin Stern Oceanography
1995-96 Frances James Biological Science
1995-96 Myles Hollander Statistics
1994-95 Joseph F. Owens III Physics
1994-95 Marc E. Freeman Biological Science
1994-95 John L. Bryant Mathematics
1993-94 Ralph V. Turner History
1993-94 Kirby W. Kemper Physics
1992-93 De Witt L. Sumners Mathematics
1992-93 Pasquale P. Graziadei Biological Science
1991-92 Glenn R. Parker Policy Sciences
1991-92 David E. Loper Mathematics
1991-92 Daniel B. Eisenberg Modern Languages
1990-91 Christopher Tam Mathematics
1990-91 James O'Brien Meteorology/Oceanography

Distinguished Teacher Awards

The Distinguished Teacher Award is Florida State University’s top award for excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching. Faculty members within FSU’s College of Arts and Sciences who have been named as Distinguished Teachers are as follows:

YEAR RECIPIENT DEPARTMENT
2014-15 Patricia Spears Terebelski Biological Science
2006-07 David Kirby English
2003-04 Karen B. Everage Mathematics
2000-01 John Fenstermaker English
1998-99 Dennis Moore English
1997-98 Kenneth A. Goldsby Chemistry
1995-96 Eric C. Walker English
1994-95 Stephen P. Leach Computer Science
1993-94 James C. Smith Psychology
1992-93 David B. Levenson Religion
1991-92 Janet G. Burroway English
1990-91 James P. Jones History
1990-91 William T. Lhamon English
1990-91 Michael Rashotte Psychology
1990-91 William Rogers History
1990-91 Leo Sandon Religion
1989-90 Edward K. Mellon Chemistry
1989-90 Donald D. Horward History
1989-90 Kurt G. Hofer Biological Science
1989-90 Ronald J. Clark Chemistry