Florida State University names two Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professors for 2026-2027

Laura Reina, Department of Physics

Laura Reina, a Distinguished Research Professor, is an internationally recognized leader in high-energy theoretical particle physics whose work focuses on understanding the fundamental building blocks of the universe.

“We study the fundamental constituents of everything,” Reina said. “It’s about understanding the natural world at its most basic level.”

Her research sits at the intersection of theory and experiment, helping scientists interpret data from major facilities such as the Large Hadron Collider and test predictions tied to the Standard Model of particle physics. Her work has contributed to studies connected to the discovery and continued analysis of the Higgs boson.

“From a disagreement between predictions and data, we can begin to see whether there is something new we haven’t yet understood,” she said.

Colleagues across the field describe her impact in sweeping terms.

Marcela Carena, director of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, wrote that Reina is internationally recognized for her work on Higgs boson physics and that her research has had a lasting impact on major experimental programs.

Paolo Aluffi, Distinguished Research Professor of Mathematics at Florida State, called her “an international superstar.”

Reina earned her Ph.D. in high-energy theoretical physics from the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste, Italy, in 1992. After postdoctoral work at the University of Brussels and Brookhaven National Laboratory, she joined Florida State University in 1998. She was promoted to full professor in 2007 and named Distinguished Research Professor in 2017. She holds the Joseph F. Owens endowed professorship.

Her research is centered on the phenomenology of elementary particle physics, including precision calculations in quantum chromodynamics, studies of Higgs and vector boson production and investigations into physics beyond the Standard Model. Her work also explores heavy flavor physics, CP violation and new theoretical models tested through collider data.

Reina has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is a member of the Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine of Florida. She is also a recipient of the Jesse W. Beams Award from the American Physical Society’s Southeastern Section.

In addition to her research, she is widely recognized as a dedicated teacher and mentor.

“Professor Reina would perfectly know how to challenge her students … always pushing them to excel in state-of-the-art problems,” wrote Fernando Febres Cordero, one of her former doctoral students and now a professor at Florida State.

Reina said working with students remains central to her work.

“Students are really the life of the university,” she said. “Seeing them develop passion and grow is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.”

She added that being selected by her peers makes the recognition especially meaningful.

“I feel humbled and honored at the same time,” she said. “There are so many incredible colleagues here, and I have learned from all of them over the years.”

Brad Schmidt, Department of Psychology

Brad Schmidt, a Distinguished Research Professor and chair of the Department of Psychology, is a leading scholar in clinical psychology whose work has helped shape the understanding and treatment of anxiety and related conditions.

“It’s an amazing honor, especially coming from such an esteemed group of faculty,” Schmidt said of the Lawton recognition. “It means a great deal to me.”

He leads a translational research program focused on the causes, prevention and treatment of anxiety, as well as related challenges such as PTSD, substance use and suicide. His work emphasizes identifying modifiable risk factors and developing targeted interventions that can improve outcomes in real-world settings.

Schmidt said his work has long been driven by a desire to address pressing public health challenges.

“Being able to ask and try to answer interesting, important questions is one of the best things about being a professor,” he said. “And in my line of work as a clinical psychologist, being able to address important public health questions and help deal with or mitigate some of the significant suffering that people experience has been a super rewarding part of the work that I do.”

His research also focuses on improving access to effective care.

“One of the things that I’ve dedicated really the last 20 years to is trying to use technology to better deliver and disseminate treatments that work to people in need,” Schmidt said.

Colleagues describe his influence as both broad and far-reaching.

John Corrigan, Distinguished Research Professor of Religion at Florida State, noted that Schmidt’s work reaches across disciplines, influencing fields from the sciences to the humanities.

“It is not an overstatement to rank Brad among the most important anxiety disorders researchers in the world,” wrote Thomas Joiner, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Florida State.

Schmidt’s work spans theoretical, experimental and clinical domains, integrating research on cognitive risk factors, substance use and suicide with large-scale clinical trials and longitudinal studies. His lab has completed numerous projects supported by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Defense, including work on brief, targeted interventions designed to reduce risk for mental health disorders.

His research also examines anxiety in neurodegenerative disorders, the interaction between anxiety and substance use and new models for understanding suicide and gun violence.

In addition to his research, Schmidt is known for his mentorship and leadership. He said students are central to the work of his lab.

“Students are critical. Any award like this is not a solo pursuit,” he said. “We couldn’t do this, not nearly at the rate that we’re able to without students.”

His former students now hold positions at universities across the country, contributing to research, clinical care and public health.

Schmidt also serves as chair of the Department of Psychology while continuing to lead major research initiatives, a combination colleagues describe as rare.

“He is the chair and simultaneously the holder of multiple, large federal research grants … literally unheard of,” Joiner wrote.

Together, Reina and Schmidt reflect the breadth and impact of Florida State’s faculty, from uncovering the laws that govern the universe to advancing research that improves mental health and well-being.

Both will be invited to deliver future commencement addresses and continue a long-standing tradition that brings the university’s highest faculty honor to one of its most important stages.