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 |