About the Faculty Award Winners
Excellence in Research and Creative Activity Award
Lilian Alessa, Co-director of the Center for Resilient Communities and Professor, Environmental Design and Landscape Architecture
College of Art and Architecture
Dr. Lilian “Doc” Alessa received her PhD from the University of British Columbia in cell and molecular biology as part of the systems architecture track. Over her academic career she has received $175 million in National Science Foundation and other federal funding for diverse fields of study related to complexity and systems science. Her skills put her in high demand for secondment to U.S. federal service such as a Defense Intelligence Senior Level Special Advisor to the Office of the Director for National Intelligence, Arctic Advisor to the Pentagon, Chief Scientist (J5) United States Special Operations Command and Deputy Chief of Global Strategies with the Department of Homeland Security. When she is not serving on federal details, she holds the rank of President’s Professor and Director, at the University of Idaho in the College of Art and Architecture. In this capacity she has brought in over $57 million in external funding, including the two successful EPSCoR proposals for which she was a key author. She has published over 150 peer reviewed papers in the unclassified domain alone and developed capabilities that incorporate local and place-based knowledge for improved environmental and operational awareness around the world.
Dr. Alessa’s most recent collaboration is with Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies on space-based capabilities for improved critical infrastructure in remote and rural communities. An internationally recognized expert in systems science, environmental intelligence, early warning systems and remote/rural regions, she sits on several national committees such as the Defense Science Board, and the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She is the recipient of the Governor General’s Award in Canada as well as numerous other academic and governmental awards in the United States. She and her teams have developed strategic intelligence frameworks and tools that have been adopted by federal agencies in both the United States and Canada. She holds courtesy appointments with Arizona State University and George Mason University.
Fun Fact: Alessa has taught mountaineering and was certified a level 5 British Canoe Union kayak guide; she was featured on the cover of Coast Magazine for her skills. She still finds her solace in wild places, particularly when the weather is bad because no one else dares venture out.
General Education Teaching Award
Theresa Allen, Senior Instructor, Department of Math and Statistical Sciences
College of Science
Theresa Allen’s work at the University of Idaho has included teaching introductory math classes and engaging in outreach to high schools through the dual credit program. These courses provide foundations in quantitative thinking, critical thinking, and durable skills. While at the U of I, Allen has had the opportunity to contribute to course redesign with a continuous focus on student success and finds it both humbling and gratifying whenever a former student shares that their math course helped them reach their career goals.
Fun Fact: Allen’s dog tricked her into thinking he was a medium energy puppy when she adopted him. 8 years later, he's still keeping her very busy, and she wouldn't trade him for the world.
University Mid-Career Award
Erkan Buzbas
College of Science
Erkan Buzbas is a statistician and mathematical modeler, with a background in stochastic modeling of population-level phenomena, and development of computational statistical methods to perform inference under uncertainty. He have a broad interest in stochastic modeling of complex systems and statistical theory.
University Mid-Career Award
Christopher Caudill, Professor, Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences
College of Natural Resources
Dr. Caudill is an interdisciplinary ecologist working at the intersections of behavior, population ecology, evolution, and environmental change in aquatic habitats. His work applies tools such as biotelemetry, modeling and genomics to understanding how changing landscapes affect fish and invertebrates, with the aim to identify and evaluate ways to improve conservation efforts and ameliorate impacts. Most of his work in recent years has occurred on fishes of the Columbia River Basin, including salmon, steelhead and lamprey. Dr. Caudill has been at the University of Idaho since 2003 where he has been on the faculty since 2009. He received his Ph.D. from Cornell University, an M.S. from the University of New Hampshire and B.S. from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Fun Fact: Family legend is that Caudill’s first word was "fish", and his career path was definitely influenced by a fly-fishing habitat that went deep.
University Mid-Career Award
Benjamin Cover, Associate Professor, Law
College of Law
Benjamin (Benji) Plener Cover is an Associate Professor at the University of Idaho (UI) College of Law, where he teaches and writes about Constitutional Law and Election Law. His scholarship focuses on electoral districting, electoral reform, and democratic participation. He authored the chapter on Redistricting Criteria in the Oxford Handbook of American Election Law. His scholarship has been published, or is forthcoming, in the Stanford Law Review, the Iowa Law Review, the Harvard Law & Policy Review, the U.C. Davis Law Journal, the William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal, and Social Science Quarterly. He has served on the executive committee of the Election Law section of the American Association of Law Schools, as well as a peer reviewer for Election Law Journal. His scholarship has been cited by state and federal courts, as well as litigants and scholars. He has taught at UI for ten years, starting as a visiting instructor in 2014, joining the faculty permanently in 2017, and earning tenure in 2022. In addition to Constitutional Law courses and an Election Law seminar, he has taught Torts, Professional Responsibility, State & Local Government Law, Advanced Torts, Property, Remedies, Federal Courts, and the First Amendment.
Professor Cover studied engineering, mathematics, and economics at the University of Toronto; international development at the London School of Economics; and law at Yale. During law school, he founded a nonprofit organization called 24 Hours for Darfur. Upon graduation, he worked on pretrial reform efforts at the public defender’s office in New Orleans as an Arthur Liman Public Interest Fellow and Vital Projects Fund grant recipient. He also handled misdemeanor and felony cases in municipal and state court. He then served as the legislative director for New Orleans City Councilmember LaToya Cantrell.
Fun Fact: Professor Cover enjoys poutine, keeping up with his family, and pursuing his pipe dream of becoming a commercially and critically unsuccessful singer-songwriter.
Excellence in Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Efforts Award
Berna Devezer, Associate Professor, Department of Business
College of Business and Economics
Dr. Devezer is a Professor of Marketing and affiliate faculty at the Department of Mathematics and Statistical Science. She holds a PhD in Marketing and an M.S. in Statistics from Washington State University. She is interested in advancing models and theories of science of science, also called metascience. Her research brings together statistical theory, experimental methodologies, mathematical modeling, philosophy and history of science to advance an interdisciplinary understanding of the scientific process. Some of her specific research topics include: the interface and tension between scientific and statistical inference, the objectives and values of science, the role of replications and reproducibility of scientific findings in advancing knowledge, the epistemic value of scientific experiments, the role of modeling and exploration in scientific progress.
Fun Fact: Devezer is a first-generation college student in her extended family and hence, the first-ever scholar. When she started studying metascience and the history of replication in science, the earliest source she’s been able to track down to talk about replicating experiments was a Roman/Greek physician and philosopher called Galen of Pergamon. Quite a coincidence that Pergamon (Bergama in Turkey) also happens to be her family's hometown.
University Mid-Career Award
Matthew Fox-Amato, Associate Professor, Department of History
College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences
Matthew Fox-Amato studies the power of images. He is the author of Exposing Slavery: Photography, Human Bondage, and the Birth of Modern Visual Politics in America (published by Oxford University Press in 2019). Exposing Slavery was the runner-up for the 2021 Shapiro Book Prize of The Huntington Library, a finalist for the Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize, and a finalist for the Association of American Publishers PROSE Award. The book was also named one of The Advocate’s “Must-Read Books on Race and Hate.” Fox-Amato is Associate Professor of History at the University of Idaho. He received his B.A. from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in History, with a certificate in Visual Studies, at the University of Southern California, after which he held a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis.
Currently, Fox-Amato is writing a monograph about how presidential administrations have used photography, and editing a special issue of Civil War History on the photographic history of Reconstruction. He consults with museums about photo history, and presently serves as core advisor for the Nelson-Atkins Museum’s upcoming exhibition, Photography and Abolition in the Age of Pictures.
Outstanding Graduate Student Research and Creative Activity Award
Hossam Hassan, PhD Candidate, Department of Nuclear Engineering
College of Engineering
Hossam Hassan has demonstrated exceptional research excellence over the past two years in nuclear thermal-hydraulics and reactor safety for Generation-IV reactors. He holds a B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering, with a strong background in computational modeling, and V&V of system code. His dedication and ability to exceed expectations are evident in the high-quality research publications he has produced. In this period, he has published over seven journal articles and two conference papers based on his Ph.D. research. Hossam is an active member of both the American Nuclear Society (ANS) at the Idaho Falls campus and the Canadian Nuclear Society (CNS). Beyond his research, he is committed to community service, actively assisting new students by providing research guidance and mentorship, helping them transition smoothly into the Nuclear Engineering program.
Dr. Arthur Maxwell Taylor Excellence in Diversity Award — Faculty
Dylan Hedden-Nicely, Associate Dean of Faculty and Professor, Law
College of Law
Dylan R. Hedden-Nicely is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Professor of Law and Associate Dean of Faculty at the University of Idaho College of Law. Since 2017, Dean Hedden-Nicely has led the University of Idaho Native American Law Program. Dean Hedden-Nicely graduated from the University of Idaho College of Law, magna cum laude, with an emphasis in Native American law, as well as natural resources & environmental law. Concurrently, Dean Hedden-Nicely earned a master's degree in water resources (science & engineering). After law school, Dean Hedden-Nicely focused on litigation and negotiation of issues related to Native American natural resources and water rights. Dean Hedden-Nicely teaches a variety of courses, including Native American law, Native American natural resources law, water law, law science & the environment, and civil procedure. His research interests include Native American natural resources and water law, tribal treaty rights, tribal civil and regulatory jurisdiction, water rights law, the interrelationship of law and science with applications to natural resources law, as well the under-representation of Native people in the legal profession. He continues to consult with tribes related to water rights and natural resources and can be reached at dhedden@uidaho.edu.
Dylan Hedden-Nicely acknowledges that he lives and makes his living in the aboriginal homeland of the Nimi’ipuu (Nez Perce) and Schitsu'umsh (Coeur d’Alene) peoples and that the University of Idaho’s main campus is situated within the boundaries of the Nez Perce Tribe’s unceded 1855 Reservation. These Tribal Nations are distinct, sovereign, legal and political entities with their own powers of self-governance and self-determination. Honor the treaties; “[g]reat nations, like great men, should keep their word.” F.P.C. v. Tuscarora Indian Nation, 362 U.S. 99, 142 (1960) (Black, J., dissenting).
University Distinguished Professor
Adam Jones, Department of Biological Sciences
College of Science
Dr. Adam Jones earned a BA in Biology from the University of Colorado in 1992. He then went on to receive a Ph. D. in Genetics from the University of Georgia in 1998. After four years as a postdoctoral research fellow at Oregon State University, he accepted a position as an Assistant Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. He moved to Texas A&M University in 2004, where he was promoted to Associate Professor and Full Professor. In 2017, Dr. Jones moved to University of Idaho. His research focuses on evolutionary genetics, genomics and bioinformatics.
Donald Crawford Graduate Faculty Mentoring Award
Emad Kassem, Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
College of Engineering
Dr. Emad Kassem is a dedicated civil engineering professor at the University of Idaho, specializing in transportation infrastructure. He is passionate about advancing civil engineering education, mentoring the next generation of engineers, and providing exceptional support to graduate students through guidance and mentorship. His research focuses on sustainable materials, innovative construction techniques, and pavement performance evaluation, with projects sponsored by various federal, state, and international transportation agencies.
Dr. Kassem has published extensively in top-tier journals and his research contributions have been recognized with multiple prestigious awards, including the Mid-Career Faculty Award from the College of Engineering at University of Idaho in 2024, the Engineers’ Council Outstanding Engineering Achievement Merit Award in 2016, and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute/Trinity New Researcher Award in 2011. He is currently serving as the chair of the annual Idaho Asphalt Conference and is a member of two Transportation Research Board (TRB) committees: the Standing Committee on Binders for Flexible Pavement (AKM20) and the Standing Committee on Asphalt Mixture Evaluation and Performance (AKM40).
Excellence in Teaching Award
Ashley Kerr, Associate Professor, School of Global Studies
College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences
Ashley Kerr is an Associate Professor of Spanish who has been at U of I for 11 years. She teaches language classes as well as courses on Latin American film, pop culture, history, translation, and more. She has also taught abroad in Valencia, Spain; Montevideo, Uruguay; and sailed around the Atlantic as a faculty member on Semester at Sea. Her first book, Sex, Skulls, and Citizens: Gender and Racial Science in Argentina (1850-1910), won the Nineteenth Century Studies section of the Latin American Studies Association’s best book award. Her second book, a study of the Buenos Aires Zoo, its animals, and how it shaped Argentine society, comes out this fall with Vanderbilt University Press.
Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award
Nick Koenig, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences
College of Science
Nick Koenig is a graduate student within the Idaho Tree Ring Lab and Confluence Lab at the University of Idaho studying for a PhD in Geography and MA in English. Nick received a BS in Botany from Eastern Kentucky University and MPhil in Environmental Studies at the University of Cambridge. They are currently a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow researching the intersection of tree ring sciences with anti-colonial studies, creative justice-based pedagogies, and community-centered methods along with teaching classes on climate sciences, climate change fiction, geography, and humanities. Outside of work, Nick finds joy in doing activism and community organizing around climate justice, queer trans rights, and the West Side Food Pantry.
Fun Fact: When not working, Nick enjoys making large paper mâché projects including a tree ring cross-section, a globe, and an ExxonMobil oil drum!
Advising Excellence Award — Faculty
Erik Larson, Associate Professor, Department of Business
College of Business and Economics
Erick J. Larson is a Clinical Associate Professor and Student Engagement Director in the Department of Business at the University of Idaho. He has been with the university since August 6, 2000. Erick is pursuing a D.B.A. in Higher Education Management from the University of Bath, UK, and holds an M.S. in Education from the University of Idaho, a B.S. in Human Resource Management from Park University.
As an instructor, Larson has taught numerous courses at the University of Idaho, such as Integrated Business and Value Creation, Leading Organizations and People, and Organizational Behavior, Acquiring Human Capital, Employee Relations, and Professional Development. His dedication to teaching and student development has earned him multiple awards, including the Faculty Career Impact Award, Alumni Awards for Excellence, and College Excellence in Teaching and Advising.
Larson's research interests include higher education management, student engagement, and career development. He has presented his work at various conferences and has been recognized for his contributions to academic advising and student success.
Fun Fact: Larson is an avid Star Wars fan and has a holiday themed life-sized storm trooper and Darth Vadar outside of his office from October to January!
Outstanding Postdoctoral Mentoring Award
Christopher Marx, Professor, Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences
College of Science
Chris Marx has been a professor for twenty years, the last eleven of which here at University of Idaho. His broad interests in microbiology have been fueled by a series of fantastic experiences doing research as an undergrad at MIT with Penny Chisholm, at University of Washington with Mary Lidstrom, and then at Michigan State University with Rich Lenski. This path led from microbial ecology, to physiology, to evolutionary biology. His laboratory has explored questions across this span, largely focusing upon the environmentally and industrially important microbe, Methylobacterium.
One of the primary goals Chris has had through this time has been to help his trainees reach their own career targets. Of the fourteen postdoctoral scholars he has worked with here and during his time at Harvard University, two chose to head to industrial positions, two run governmental laboratories, and the other ten moved on to academic positions.
Fun Fact: In his spare time, Marx enjoys photography and has started to show his work and offer photography workshops over the last year. His work can be viewed at chrismarxphoto.com.
Hoffman Award in Teaching Excellence
Markie McBrayer, Assistant Professor, Department of Politics and Philosophy
College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences
Markie McBrayer is an assistant professor of political science at University of Idaho. Her research focuses on American politics and policy, with a focus on political institutions, representation, and social inequality in the American context, particularly at the local level. Recently, McBrayer has been exploring the effects of electing women to local positions of power and the subsequent policy effects. Prior to earning her doctorate, she worked as a transportation consultant in the Boston area and thus understands the need to ground research and teaching in praxis.
Fun Fact: McBrayer enjoys bright colors, trying new candies (even if they're bad), and roller blading. She likes to have fun, and she tries to make class fun too!
University Distinguished Professor
Scott Minnich, Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
Dr. Minnich is a professor of microbiology at the University of Idaho. He received his BS in Bacteriology from Washington State University, MS in Bacteriology from the University of Idaho, and a Ph.D. in Microbiology at Iowa State University. He pursued postdoctoral studies at Purdue and Princeton Universities in microbial genetics. Dr. Minnich's research centers on the molecular pathogenesis of Gram-negative bacteria. These efforts are focused on host-parasite interactions, evolution of virulence, and novel strategies for vaccine production. Models employed for this work include Yersinia pestis, Y. enterocolitica, E. coli K12, and E. coli O157:H7. From October 2003 to May 2004, he served as a subject matter expert with the Iraq Survey Group WMD Inspection Team headquartered in Baghdad. From 1992 until present he taught infectious disease in the WWAMI medical program. Minnich has published numerous peer-reviewed publications in such journals as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal of Molecular Biology, Journal of Bacteriology, Molecular Microbiology and Infection and Immunity.
Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar/Fellow Award
Temitayo Olangunju, Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
Dr. Temitayo Adebanji Olagunju is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences at the University of Idaho, working in Dr. Brenda Murdoch’s lab. During his doctoral studies in computer science at the University of Ibadan and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Nigeria, he developed computational techniques to analyze host-pathogen interactions, notably creating the Ds-Seq pipeline for studying gene regulatory networks using the Cassava/Cassava Mosaic Virus case study. Building on a robust background in bioinformatics and plant genomics, he has transitioned to animal genomics, focusing on sustainable translational agricultural research to enhance global food security.
At the University of Idaho, Dr. Olagunju has contributed to several pivotal projects including the first successful sequencing and comparison of complete Y chromosomes of cattle and sheep, uncovering significant genomic differences underpinning their evolution, and afforded access to previously inaccessible regions harboring genes critical for fertility. The findings were presented at conferences such as the International Plant and Animal Genome (PAG), Advances in Genome Biology and Technology-Agriculture (AGBT-Ag), International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG), and published in Nature Communications. He is also working on the Ovine Pangenome Project which is aimed at constructing a comprehensive genomic resource encompassing multiple sheep breeds, to facilitate the identification of genetic variations linked to economically and environmentally important traits. Preliminary results were showcased at PAG and AGBT-Ag conferences. In addition, he has contributed to the telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome assembly of the bighorn sheep, aiding studies on disease susceptibility compared to domestic sheep. This assembly was included in the Ruminant T2T consortium paper in Nature Genetics, with further findings presented at the AGBT General Meeting.
In addition to publications, Dr. Olagunju has disseminated research through invited talks and presentations at conferences, receiving recognition such as the AGBT Next Gen Leadership Award (2023), and travel awards for presentations at the ISAG, PAG, and Oxford Nanopore Technologies conference in London. He received his master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science from the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. His bachelor’s degree was in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
General Education Service Award
Dean Panttaja, Professor Emeritus, Department of Theatre Arts
College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences
Dean Panttaja is a Professor of Theatre Design, Technology & Management at the University of Idaho. With over 43 years in theatre, he has served as a master carpenter, technical director, scenic & lighting designer, artistic director, producer, department chair, director of general education & assessment and as the vice provost of academic initiatives. His designs have been produced regionally, nationally, and internationally. His credits include over 90 professional productions and 75 academic productions. As an academic, he has served as major professor to 22 MFA candidates and as a committee member on 38 more. His grants exceed over $300,000.00 and his fundraising over $500,000.00 in that 43-year span. His other accomplishments include leading the 2022 re-accreditation for the University of Idaho, receiving the Thoron distinguished professorship in the Fine Arts at the American University in Cairo, and the 1994 Idaho Governor’s Arts Award (Arts Organization) as a member of Idaho Theatre for Youth company (resident scenic designer).
University Mid-Career Award
Paul Rowley, Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
College of Science
Dr. Paul Rowley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Idaho and an Affiliate Faculty member at the University of Washington. Originally from the UK, Dr. Rowley completed his undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Virology at the University of Warwick, followed by a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Aberdeen. His academic journey included postdoctoral work at both the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Colorado-Boulder, before joining the University of Idaho faculty in 2016 and was awarded tenure in 2021. Dr. Rowley’s research focuses on the intersection of antifungal biology and molecular biology, with an emphasis on yeast-produced toxins known as “killer toxins.” His lab has made significant contributions to understanding the role of these toxins in yeast biology and their potential for human health applications, particularly in treating fungal infections and preventing spoilage during industrial fermentations. One of his notable discoveries is the unique susceptibility of the human pathogen Candida glabrata to the K1 toxin, and his lab is continuing to pursue its use to treat human disease. Dr. Rowley’s work is supported by several prestigious grants, including the NSF CAREER award, and he collaborates with researchers from diverse fields such as biophysics and AI to integrate interdisciplinary approaches into his research.
In addition to his research, Dr. Rowley is deeply committed to fostering the next generation of scientists. He mentors both graduate and undergraduate students, many of whom have gone on to present their research at international conferences and contribute to peer-reviewed publications. His mentoring efforts have earned him accolades, including the Dyess Undergraduate Research Excellence Award and the Early Career Faculty Award from the University of Idaho. With a focus on diversity and inclusion, his lab is a leader in providing opportunities for underrepresented groups in STEM. Dr. Rowley is also dedicated to community engagement, particularly in the realm of STEM outreach. Through initiatives like his NSF-funded yEvo project, he works with high school students to explore concepts of evolution, genetics, and antibiotic resistance in a hands-on, experimental setting. These outreach efforts have sparked greater interest in science and provided valuable research opportunities for students in underserved communities.
Fun Fact: As a first-generation college student, Rowley's journey into biology research began in an undergraduate teaching lab at the University of Warwick UK. He really enjoyed his project, but there was never enough time—the labs closed at 5 p.m., cutting my experiments short. Determined to keep going, he found a workaround. As closing time approached, he would hide under the lab benches and silently wait. Once the supervisor locked up and the footsteps faded down the hall, he’d emerge, switching on the lights and returning to work. Looking back, those moments weren’t just about bending the rules—they were about breaking through limits, both personal and academic, to follow a curiosity that still drives his research today.
University Mid-Career Award
Andrew Scheef, Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
College of Education, Health and Human Sciences
Dr. Andrew Scheef is an Associate Professor of Special Education in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences at the University of Idaho. He teaches courses designed to prepare general education teachers and special educators to lead classrooms that feature meaningful inclusion of students with disabilities. Dr. Scheef’s research and professional activities are primarily focused on supporting the post-school goals of students with disabilities. Dr. Scheef has 23 manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and has procured over $14 million in external funding.
University Mid-Career Award
Rebecca Scofield, Associate Professor and Department Chair, Department of History
College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences
Rebecca Scofield is a historian of gender and sexuality and the US West. Originally from Emmette, Idaho, she earned her PhD in American Studies at Harvard University in 2015. She is the author of Outriders: Rodeo at the Fringes of the American West and co-author of Slapping Leather: Queer Cowfolx at the Gay Rodeo. She is also the PI for the Gay Rodeo Oral History Project, the creator of the web exhibit Voices of Gay Rodeo, and co-author of the verbatim play That Damn Horse: Stories of the Gay Rodeo. She has written academically and popularly on everything from Tokyo’s acrylic nail industry to the popular romantasy series Fourth Wing. Her newest project is titled Astride the Beast: Women Riding Horses, Dragons, and Everything In-Between.
Fun Fact: Scofield applied to her job at the University of Idaho exactly 10 years ago in April 2025. She has two kids who like fantasy fiction, pop music, and dance parties almost as much as she does.
University Mid-Career Award
Nathan Schiele, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
College of Engineering
Nathan Schiele has been faculty in the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering since 2015. He serves as the UI Campus Leader and Student Coordinator for the Idaho IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Program, which provides biomedical research and professional development opportunities for undergraduate students. Additionally, he is a co-investigator for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program, supporting undergraduate students transferring to UI from North Idaho College.
Dr. Schiele’s research focuses on tendon tissue engineering and is currently funded by the NIH and the National Science Foundation. More than 50 undergraduate students have conducted research in his lab, resulting in 13 peer-reviewed journal articles with UI undergraduate students as co-authors. He teaches upper-level courses in tissue biomechanics and tissue engineering, as well as first-year engineering courses that incorporate active learning and hands-on research projects. His dedication to teaching and mentoring have been recognized through multiple awards, including the 2020 Hoffman Award in Teaching Excellence, the 2022 Career Impact Award from UI Career Services, and the 2024 Outstanding Teaching Award from the College of Engineering.
Outreach and Engagement Excellence Award
George Tanner, Senior Instructor, Department of Business
College of Business and Economics
After college and a few years in industry, George Tanner was intrigued by an opportunity to teach, thus began his academic odyssey many years and many colleges ago. During that first teaching experience, realizing education must be holistic, he became an evangelist for experiential education and engaged his students in outreach projects in each of the communities he served. He and his students founded a small business center to foster entrepreneurial startups in the hard-pressed mining region of West Virginia where he grew up and he became his home state’s leading advocate for new approaches to economic development. Always a wandering soul, Tanner heard the call to move west which meant academic stops in Missouri, Arkansas, Colorado twice, Idaho State, before eventually deciding thirteen years ago the University of Idaho was finally home. At all his schools, he always infused his students with real-world experiences, engaging them in businesses, leading development groups, and building an entrepreneurial mindset across campuses.
Since arriving at UI, George has been Director of UI’s entrepreneurship activities, Senior Entrepreneurship Instructor in the CBE, and has made entrepreneurship a signature program at UI. His efforts have positioned us as the leading startup program in our state, as the strongest competitors in regional and national competitions where UI startup teams have won over $1.4 million in seed capital to launch their startup ideas. Tanner collaborates with many professors and research teams at UI and other institutions in the West through our NSF I-Corps program and is entrepreneurial lead and Co-PI on multiple grants. George also helps lead our statewide Invent Idaho K-12 invention outreach program. George Tanner is respected across Idaho as a leading voice for entrepreneurship and has nurtured a thriving program. The Idaho Pitch he helped create a dozen years ago is the signature pitch event in the Northwest and brings CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to campus to network with hundreds of students and startup teams every year.
Fun Fact: George has four daughters who are the center of his life. He's proud that at least one of them had the good sense to save him out-of-state tuition and graduate as a Vandal! George Tanner is an avid cyclist and has ridden enough miles in the last five years to circumnavigate the globe. He is a direct descendent of Devil Anse Hatfield, leader of the Hatfield Clan from the infamous Hatfield-McCoy feud which took place in his hometown, Matewan, West Virginia. George admits to having more than a bit of that feuding blood in him.
University Mid-Career Award
Damon Woods, Associate Professor, Art and Architecture Design Lab
College of Art and Architecture
Damon Woods is a research associate professor and the director of the University of Idaho’s Integrated Design Lab. The Integrated Design Lab conducts over $400,000 of energy efficiency research each year on behalf of the Idaho Power Company and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. Dr. Woods has taught courses in advanced thermodynamics, energy modeling, and net-zero buildings. Dr. Woods earned his B.S. from Montana State University, his M.S. from Boise State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Idaho in mechanical engineering. His current research focus is on the interplay of bio-based insulation materials and building performance.
Fun Facts: When he’s not in the office, you can usually find him with his wife: reading, gardening, hiking, or tending to their Christmas tree farm.