Accolades: Faculty and Staff Awards and Honors

Below are awards and honors University of Maryland faculty and staff have earned since mid-November:

Associate Professor of mechanical engineering and Clark Faculty Fellow Damena Agonafer won a first-of-its-kind pitch competition for new ways to deal with heat generated by data centers, hosted by the Vicinity Ideation Program (a partnership between Boston-based Vicinity Energy and the Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator to spur new approaches to clean heating and urban decarbonization). Agonafer took the top prize for his tech that captures waste heat from data centers and redirects it to warm local communities.

Eight scientists from the Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center and the Cooperative Institute for Satellite Earth System Studies were honored for their work at the National Centers for Environmental Information: Rasheeda Alexander, Alex Kozyr, Liqing Jiang, Anna Lienesch, Alexey Mishonov, Rebecca Wenker, Hyelim Yoo and Yongsheng Zhang.

Minta Martin Professor and Distinguished University Professor Balakumar Balachandran (mechanical and aerospace engineering) was selected by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to receive its Thomas K. Caughey Dynamics Medal.  

David Blazar, associate professor of education policy, and Kimberly Griffin M.A. ’01, dean of the College of Education, were included in Education Week’s 2026 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings. The list ranks the 200 university-based scholars in the United States who had the biggest impact on educational practice and policy last year. This is Griffin’s fifth consecutive appearance on the list and the first for Blazar. 

Ashley Burneston, program manager in Conferences & Visitor Services, was elected regional director for Region 4 for the Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors- International.

Sean Cao, associate professor and director and co-founder of the AI Initiative for Capital Market Research, won two Best Paper Awards in applied AI for capital market research: the Fama-DFA Prize from the Journal of Financial Economics for "From Man vs. Machine to Man + Machine: The Art and AI of Stock Analyses" and the Michael J. Brennan Award from Review of Financial Studies for "How to Talk When Machines are Listening: Corporate Disclosure in the Age of AI."

Peggy G. Carr, visiting professor in the Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, was one of 19 distinguished education scholars and leaders elected to the National Academy of Education (NAEd) in 2026. Election to the NAEd is one of the highest honors an education researcher can receive.

Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center Postdoctoral Associates Corinne Carter and Jingjing Peng, Assistant Research Scientists Yuling Liu and Peng Yu, Assistant Research Professor Zhen Song and Visiting Assistant Research Scientist Yuan Zhou won the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service’s Vision and Creativity “Future is Here Today” Award. All are members of the STAR Land Product Development Science Team.

Mathematics Professor Dan Cristofaro-Gardiner won the 2025 Brin Prize in Dynamical Systems, an international honor that recognizes mathematicians who have made substantial impact in the field at an early stage of their careers.  The Brin Prize was established in 2008 by UMD Professor Emeritus Michael Brin.

Mechanical Engineering Professor Siddhartha Das was named a 2025 fellow of the American Physical Society for his fundamental discoveries of the properties of polyelectrolyte brushes, brush-supported water molecules and counterions, and liquid transport in nanochannels grafted with polyelectrolyte brushes.

Leila De Floriani, a professor of geographical sciences with an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, began a two-year term as the Division V director with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Board of Directors, effective Jan. 1. IEEE is the world’s largest professional association dedicated to advancing technology.

The Division of Student Affairs was selected as one of the 2026 Most Promising Places to Work in Student Affairs by the American College Personnel Association-College Student Educators International and the EDU Ledger.

RecWell’s Stephanie Draminski, assistant director, aquatics and safety; Kurt Klier, assistant director, club sports and camps; and Michael Herdson, coordinator, aquatic staff and operations; received the LifeSaving Award for Professional Responders from the American Red Cross for their efforts in responding to and managing a medical emergency at the Eppley Recreation Center. 

Francis DuVinage, director of the National Scholarships Office, received the 2026 Churchill Adviser Award, recognizing his work in identifying and supporting exceptional STEM students to pursue master’s degrees at Cambridge University. Nine UMD students have received the prestigious scholarships in the past seven years.

Breana Echols, coordinator for local engagement in the Adele H. Stamp Student Union, and Terps for Change were selected as the National Mall Volunteer Program’s Partner of the Year for 2025. This national recognition honors their service and contributions, particularly through sustained volunteer engagement at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.

Drew S. Fagan, clinical professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership, received the American Association for Applied Linguistics 2026 Distinguished Public Service Award for his work promoting public awareness of the importance of multilingualism. The award recognizes individuals who raise awareness of important social issues involving language.

Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center Visiting Assistant Research Scientist Joseph Finlon received the Field Campaign Support Award from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Associate Professor of entomology Megan Fritz will receive the 2026 CANR Outstanding Up and Coming Alumni Award from Michigan State University on Feb. 27. She is a three-time MSU graduate.  

Distinguished University Professor Sylvester James Gates Jr. was recently named fellow of both the American Mathematical Society and the African Academy of Sciences. He holds the Clark Leadership Chair in Science and a joint appointment in the Department of Physics and the School of Public Policy, 

Rachel Rosenberg Goldstein, assistant professor of global, environmental, and occupational health, was appointed to Maryland’s BayStat Program Scientific Advisory Panel, which oversees restoration programs for the mid-Atlantic’s largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay, as well as the Atlantic coastal bays.

“Quantitude,” a podcast from Gregory R. Hancock, professor in the Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, and co-host Patrick Curran, was ranked No. 1 on Statology’s list of 5 Statistics Podcasts That Don’t Put You to Sleep and No. 4 on FeedSpot’s list of 15 Best Statistics Podcasts. 

Rebecca Hann, associate dean of research and doctoral programs in the Robert H. Smith School of Business, was  appointed an editor of The Accounting Review, the premier journal of the American Accounting Association.  

Brandon Lee Harris, senior coordinator for residential experience in the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life, received the ACPA Pan African Network (PAN) Sawubona 30 Under 40 Class for 2026 in the category of Campus Partnership and Collaboration. It recognizes brilliance, resilience, creativity and transformative leadership of the PAN community within higher education and student affairs.

Amber Johnson, director of the radiation facilities (nuclear reactor and others) at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, won a Teaching Award from the U.S. Particle Accelerator School "in recognition and appreciation of exceptional contributions in teaching at USPAS sessions."

Public Policy Professor Philip Joyce received the 2026 Dwight Waldo Award from the American Society for Public Administration, one of the field’s highest career honors. The award recognizes a scholar whose work has made lasting contributions to the literature of public administration. 

P.K. Kannan, Dean's Chair in Marketing Science, was inducted as a member of the 2026 American Marketing Association fellows cohort. Christopher Kenseth, assistant professor of atmospheric and oceanic science, received the American Geophysical Union’s James Holton Award, which recognizes outstanding scientific accomplishments from early-career researchers. 

Alireza Khaligh, electrical and computer engineering professor and interim director of the Institute for Systems Research, was elected a fellow of the IEEE for contributions to power electronics for transportation electrification.

Jioni A. Lewis and Delida Sanchez, both associate professors of counseling psychology, were among five psychologists honored with the Shining Star Award at the National Multicultural Conference and Summit. This award honors mid-career psychologists who demonstrate a strong interest in multicultural research, teaching, advocacy, policy and/or clinical care. 

Distinguished University Professor Zhanqing Li in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science was awarded the 2025 John Tyndall History of Global Environmental Change Lectureship from the American Geophysical Union in recognition of his exceptional contributions to advancing atmospheric, environmental, and global change sciences. He also was awarded the 2026 American Meteorological Society’s Verner E. Suomi Technology Medal in recognition of highly significant technological achievements in atmospheric sciences.

Xin-Zhong Liang, professor of atmospheric and oceanic science, was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Assistant Professor of mechanical engineering Davis McGregor was named one of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers’ 2025 30 Under 30 honorees. 

Assistant Professor of bioengineering Erika Moore was named to Science News’ SN 10: Scientists to Watch list for 2025, recognizing her research on uterine fibroids.

Amy Morgan, assistant professor of family science, received the National Council on Family Relations’ Emerging Mentor and Teacher Award, recognizing new family science faculty who have demonstrated excellence in teaching and mentorship practices.

Department of Veterinary Medicine Professor Daniel J. Nelson, UMD President and Glenn L. Martin Professor of Aerospace Engineering Darryll J. Pines, and Patrick and Marguerite Sung Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Srinivasa Raghavan were elected fellows of the National Academy of Inventors’ Class of 2025. They were recognized among 185 individuals whose patented innovations have made an enduring and profound economic and societal impact.

Kelly Nye-Lengerman, visiting research professor in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, was selected as one of 11 fellows of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in 2026. 

Jessica Perez, associate director of administrative services and operations at the University Health Center, was named a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of Physician Associates.

Professor Emeritus of English William S. Peterson is being honored by the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Printing History Association and William Morris Society at the Library of Congress for his contributions as a historian and bibliographer.

Jennifer Roberts, associate professor of kinesiology, was appointed chair of the Nature and Health Alliance, which enhances understanding of, fosters evidence for, and communicates about the relationships between nature and health. 

Rachel Romeo, assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, was named one of 12 Jacobs CIFAR (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research) Research Fellows in the 2026-28 cohort. The program offers prestigious fellowships to early- and mid-career researchers whose work is dedicated to improving the learning and development of children and youth worldwide.

Ilya Ryzhov, Dean's Professor of Decision Sciences, received the INFORMS Simulation Society’s Outstanding Simulation Publication Award at the 2025 Winter Simulation Conference for his paper, “Balancing Optimal Large Deviations in Sequential Selection.”

Associate Professor of mechanical engineering and Clark Faculty Fellow Alban Sauret was selected by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation for its 2025 cohort of Experimental Physics Investigators. 

Christopher S. Travers, assistant professor in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, was named one of five 2026-28 Emerging Scholar-Designees by ACPA–College Student Educators International. In addition, Travers was named one of seven members of the NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Emerging Faculty Leader Academy for the 2026-27 academic year. 

Alexandra Tyukavina, associate research professor in geographical sciences, and Hua Xie, visiting assistant professor in the Maryland NanoCenter, were recognized by Research.com among the Best Rising Stars of Science in the United States 2025/2026.

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Chair and Distinguished University Professor Sennur Ulukus was elected by the Science Academy Society of Turkey to its 2025 class of members. 

Uzi Vishkin, a professor of electrical and computer engineering with an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, received the 2026 IEEE Computer Society Charles Babbage Award, presented annually to honor significant contributions in parallel computing. He is also the 2025 recipient of the Association for Computing Machinery Symposium on Parallelism in Algorithms and Architectures Parallel Computing Award.  

Jacob Wenegrat, assistant professor of atmospheric and oceanic science, received the American Meteorological Society’s Nicholas P. Fofonoff Award recognizing early-career research achievement in the field of physical oceanography. 

Associate Professor of public policy Catherine Worsnop was appointed an associate editor of Politics and the Life Sciences, a peer-reviewed journal that publishes research at the intersection of politics, public policy, public health and the life sciences. 

Assistant Professor of materials science and engineering Yichao Zhang and his team were named to Physics World’s list of Top 10 Breakthroughs of the Year in physics for capturing the highest-resolution images ever taken of individual atoms in a material.

Lamia Zia, a lecturer in the Department of Communication, was selected for the Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs fellowship, which aims to bridge the gap between the study and making of U.S. foreign policy by creating the next generation of scholar-practitioners.

Know of a faculty or staff honor that should be included in this quarterly compilation? Please contact your unit’s communications lead and accolades@umd.edu.