Awards and Promotions Celebration Recognizes Outstanding PVM Faculty

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A special ceremony held August 18 in Lynn Hall combined some time-honored traditions with a new format as the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine recognized several faculty members who received awards and recognition as well as promotions.  “It is exciting today to have this opportunity to recognize outstanding faculty members during this new ceremony that combines the presentation of faculty awards with the recognition of newly promoted faculty and those who recently have been named as University Faculty Scholars,” Dean Willie Reed said as he began the ceremony In Lynn 1136.

“Our record of excellence as a college is possible only because of our outstanding people,” Dean Reed continued. “With that in mind, it is a great privilege to conduct this recognition program.”  The Dean then presented the following awards for teaching, research, service and excellence in Diversity and Inclusion. 

Dr. Harm HogenEsch, associate dean for research and Distinguished Professor of Immunopathology, received the Alumni Faculty Award for Excellence.  Nominations are submitted by faculty and the awardee is selected by a committee of faculty and alumni on the basis of the nominee’s performance and contributions in research, instruction, and public relations and professional services.

Dr. HogenEsch joined the PVM faculty in 1994 and rose through the academic ranks until he was promoted to full professor in 2001. He was appointed as associate dean for research and graduate programs in 2008.  The award recognizes Dr. HogenEsch for his transformative and collaborative research efforts and noteworthy accomplishments, including his well-known research on vaccine development and vaccine adjuvants.  One of the letters submitted in support of his nomination stated, “In aggregate, Harm has made and continues to make invaluable contributions to our understanding of immune function across animal species, for the benefit of both humans and domestic animals, while embracing animal welfare…”

The dean then presented two teaching awards to honorees selected on the basis of an annual evaluation by veterinary students of the teaching effectiveness of PVM faculty members, utilizing the following definition:  “An outstanding teacher is one who demonstrates superior ability in communicating the chosen material to students and who stimulates their desire to master the material,…while also being ready to aid and motivate students in a counseling and advisory capacity, either formally or informally.”

Dr. Marxa Figueiredo, associate professor of basic medical sciences received the Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award, which is given annually to an outstanding teacher at each veterinary school in North America.  The award recipient also is eligible to compete for the National Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award.  Dr. Figueiredo teaches Veterinary Cell and Tissue Design to the first year DVM students. She is known for her kind and caring approach that conveys to the students how she truly cares about their learning and about each of them as individuals. She is praised for always being willing to take the time to explain concepts and answer students’ questions.

The second teaching award associated with the student ballot is the PVM Alumni Outstanding Teaching Award, which was presented to Dr. Kellie McGrady, lecturer in the Department of Veterinary Administration.  Dr. McGrady is the instructor of record for the first year Veterinary Skills and Competencies, or VSAC courses. She teaches in all six of the VSAC courses and all three of the Applications & Integrations courses, and occasionally in some veterinary nursing courses. Dr. McGrady is recognized as a dedicated teacher who works to apply sound pedagogical principles to optimize student learning, is patient and understanding and welcomes student feedback.

The next award presented by Dean Reed was the Excellence in Teaching Award, sponsored by the College of Veterinary Medicine.  The recipient, chosen from nominations made by peers, is Dr. Stephanie Thomovsky, clinical associate professor of veterinary neurology and rehabilitation medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.  Dr. Thomovsky joined the faculty in 2014 and has taught neurology, neurosciences and rehabilitation medicine in multiple courses.  Additionally, she has been an integral player in the training of five neurology and neurosurgery residents. Students praised Dr. Thomovsky for her energy, enthusiasm and engaging presentation style.

The Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence, which recognizes faculty members for their roles in generating new knowledge through basic and clinical research, was presented to Dr. Dianne Little, associate professor of basic medical sciences, who also holds a courtesy appointment in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.  Since joining the faculty in 2016, Dr. Little has maintained an extensive research portfolio with a special focus on orthopaedic diseases and regenerative engineering that has been continuously funded for eleven years by the NIH. In conjunction with her research, Dr. Little has built an extensive network of collaborators, and her collaborations extend nationally and internationally, involving scientists at universities, research institutes and private companies. Dr. Little also is a dedicated mentor, having served as committee chair for eleven graduate students. 

The Excellence in Research Award, sponsored by the College of Veterinary Medicine, recognizes faculty members for their roles in generating new knowledge through basic and clinical research. This year, the award was presented to Dr. GuangJun Zhang, the John T. and Winifred M. Hayward Associate Professor of Genetic Research, Genetic Epidemiology and Comparative Medicine in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology.

Since joining the faculty in 2012, Dr. Zhang has become recognized for his expertise in genetics and the zebrafish model of human and animal diseases, including cancers. His specialization in this field has led to his lab supporting many researchers at Purdue with collaborations across campus. These collaborative efforts have earned him coveted membership in the Purdue University Center for Drug Discovery, Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, and Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience. Additionally, Dr. Zhang is a member of the Purdue Institute for Inflammation, Immunology, and Infectious Disease. Dr. Zhang’s research is so highly regarded that he has been awarded more than $18 million in outside funding from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the National Science Foundation. 

The PVM Excellence in Service Award, which honors a faculty member who has demonstrated consistent and sustained delivery of services through the College of Veterinary Medicine, was presented to Dr. Kenitra Hendrix, director of the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and clinical associate professor of comparative pathobiology.

Dr. Hendrix joined the faculty in 2013 as section head of the bacteriology laboratory in the ADDL. She is commended for her commitment to serving ADDL clients and the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. Since assuming the role of ADDL director in 2019, Dr. Hendrix has worked diligently to improve efficiency and client communications, which are important in providing service to the State of Indiana. Her success in leading the ADDL is reflected across the board, from the response to this year’s Avian Influenza outbreak that could have crippled Indiana’s ag economy, to obtaining the special CLIA certification that enabled the lab to conduct tests on human samples for COVID-19 in support of Protect Purdue.

The final award presented was the PVM Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award, which honors faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine who demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion through active recruitment and retention efforts, teaching, research, multicultural programming, community outreach activities, or other initiatives. This year’s recipient is Dr. Paula Johnson, clinical associate professor of small animal emergency and critical care in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.

Dr. Johnson joined the college in 2004 in a part-time capacity to help with the expansion of the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital’s emergency services by providing a 24-hour emergency and critical care service to serve the local community. In 2007 she accepted a full-time position and helped foster an amazing increase in the hospital caseload. Additionally, Dr. Johnson has actively engaged in initiatives to help diversify the veterinary medical profession, being heavily involved in diversity programing through VOICE (Veterinarians as One Inclusive Community for Empowerment) and the Vet Up! program, which consists of Vet Up! Champions, Vet Up! College, and Vet Up! DVM Scholars.

Congratulations to all of the faculty award recipients!

Also as part of the recognition program, the Dean honored Dr. Marxa Figueiredo, associate professor of basic medical sciences, and Dr. Sandy Taylor, associate professor of large animal internal medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, for their selection as University Faculty Scholars.  The University Faculty Scholars program is sponsored by the Purdue University Office of the Provost, and recognizes outstanding mid-career faculty members at the West Lafayette campus who are on an accelerated path for academic distinction. Eligible faculty must hold the rank of tenured associate or full professor and have been in that rank for no more than five years at the time of designation. Appointments are for a term of five years.

Lastly, the dean recognized five faculty members who were promoted during the summer. The dean explained that faculty promotions are awarded through a rigorous process that demonstrates excellence and scholarly productivity in one or more of the areas of discovery, learning, and engagement. “I am very proud to recognize these promoted faculty members today,” Dean Reed said.

• Dr. Bethany Funnell was promoted to clinical associate professor of bovine theriogenology in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences;
• Dr. Sarah Steinbach, was promoted to clinical associate professor of small animal internal medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences;
• Dr. Julianne Stout received a promotion to clinical associate professor of medicine;
• Dr. Tim Bentley was promoted to full professor of neurology and neurosurgery in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences; and,
• Dr. Wendy Townsend was promoted to full professor of ophthalmology in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.

Each of the promoted faculty members received a framed, hand drawn portrait illustration done by Professor Emeritus of Veterinary History David Williams – which continues a long-standing tradition for recognizing promoted faculty in the college.

Following the program, the honorees and guests gathered at a reception in the Veterinary Medical Library. 

Congratulations to all the honorees!

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu