30 Faculty and Staff to Be Honored at Convocation

Staff who have spent years making the University of Maryland a better place to learn, work and live. Instructors who pour enormous energy into helping students achieve all they can. Researchers dedicated to uncovering vital knowledge for the benefit of humanity.

The 41st annual Convocation ceremony on Wednesday will honor 30 such outstanding university employees for their contributions to education, research and service to the campus.

"We gather today to celebrate the careers of our 2024 Convocation honorees, who have helped make our campus such a wonderful place to learn, to work, to discover and to envision new ways to create a better world," UMD President Darryll J. Pines said. "These 30 honorees remind us of the best that all Terp faculty and staff have to offer."

Robert Infantino Jr., associate dean for undergraduate education in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, will receive the President’s Medal, which recognizes extraordinary contributions to the intellectual, social and cultural life of the university. Responsible for more than 7,000 students in the college (and more than 20% of all undergrads at UMD), Infantino has helped launch a wide array of learning initiatives, majors and minors while serving on university-wide committees and mentoring students.

Andrew Childs, a professor of computer science with a joint appointment in the Institute of Advanced Computer Studies, will be honored with the Kirwan Research and Scholarship Prize for his work to develop theoretical foundations and practical applications for quantum computers. The director of the NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation, he is leading developments with profound implications both for basic science and groundbreaking technology.

Katerina “Kaci” Thompson, instructor and assistant dean for science education initiatives in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, will be honored with the Kirwan Undergraduate Education Award for her commitment to improving student outcomes in STEM majors and enhancing science teaching and learning.

Megan C. Masters, inaugural director of academic technology experience in the Division of Information Technology, is the third recipient of the Sharon A. La Voy Data Impact Award for her work building a team of data scientists and engineers who provide evidence-based guidance concerning student experiences and learning analytics.

Read more about all of this year’s awardees by clicking on their photos below: