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32 faculty honored with Vilas professorships and awards

April 11, 2023 By Chris Barncard

Extraordinary members of the University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty have been honored during the last year with awards supported by the estate of professor, U.S. Senator and UW Regent William F. Vilas (1840-1908).

Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorships

Thirteen professors were named to Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorships, an award recognizing distinguished scholarship as well as standout efforts in teaching and service. The professorship provides five years of flexible funding — two-thirds of which is provided by the Office of the Provost through the generosity of the Vilas trustees and one-third provided by the school or college whose dean nominated the winner.

The new Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professors are:

  • Heidi Brown, Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Natalia de Leon, Argonomy
  • Theresa Delgadillo, English and Chican@ & Latin@ Studies
  • Steven Deller, Agriculture and Applied Economics
  • Ying Ge, Cell and Regenerative Biology
  • Armando Ibarra, School for Workers
  • Sterling Johnson, Medicine
  • Pamela Kreeger, Biomedical Engineering
  • Kris Olds, Geography
  • Brian Pfleger, Chemical and Biological Engineering
  • Douglas Rosenberg, Art
  • David Schwartz, Law
  • Tehshik Yoon, Chemistry

Vilas Faculty Early Career Investigator Awards

Ten professors received Vilas Faculty Early Career Investigator Awards, recognizing research and teaching excellence in faculty who are relatively early in their careers. The award provides flexible research funding for three years.

The recipients are:

  • Ángel Adames-Corraliza, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
  • Karthik Anantharaman, Bacteriology
  • Anita Bhattacharyya, Cell and Regenerative Biology
  • Ainehi Edoro, English
  • Aviad Hai, Biomedical Engineering
  • Diego Hernando, Radiology and Medical Physics
  • Ran Liu, Educational Policy Studies
  • Jennifer Nelson, Art History
  • Cody Wenthur, Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research
  • Lucas Zoet, Geoscience

Vilas Faculty Mid-Career Investigator Awards

Nine professors received Vilas Faculty Mid-Career Investigator Awards, recognizing research and teaching excellence. The award provides flexible research funding for three years.

The recipients are:

  • Daniel Erman, Mathematics
  • Melissa Harrison, Biomolecular Chemistry
  • Laura Hernandez, Animal and Dairy Sciences
  • Tom Jones, Art
  • Mark Mandel, Medical Microbiology and Immunology
  • Jenna Nobles, Sociology
  • Robert Roth, Geography
  • Sissel Schroeder, Anthropology
  • Ahna Skop, Genetics