BY DANIELLE LEGARE

The event will take place at 3:30 p.m. in Slee Hall on UB’s North Campus.

UB leaders will recognize recipients of national and international honors, SUNY and UB distinctions, and other major awards, as well as those who have reached milestone years of service.

This year, GSE will be represented by several faculty members and staff whose scholarship, professional accomplishments and service are being recognized:

• Tasha Austin, assistant professor of learning and instruction, will receive UB’s Exceptional Scholars: Young Investigator Award. Her research examines language, identity and power in teacher education through critical race theory, Black feminist epistemologies and a raciolinguistic lens.
• Myles S. Faith, professor of counseling, school and educational psychology, will receive UB’s Exceptional Scholars: Sustained Achievement Award. Faith is an internationally recognized researcher in pediatric obesity and family influences on children’s health and well-being.
• Virginia J. Flood, assistant professor of learning sciences, will be recognized for her National Science Foundation CAREER Award. Her research explores embodied communication—particularly gesture—in STEM learning and how instructors respond to students’ ideas in collaborative settings.
• Heidi Julien, professor of information science, will be recognized for the Association for Information Science and Technology Award of Merit. An international leader in information science, her research focuses on digital literacy, information behavior and scholarly impact worldwide.
• Jaekyung Lee, professor of counseling, school and educational psychology and former GSE dean, has been named a UB Distinguished Professor. Lee is a global leader in educational policy whose research focuses on equity, accountability and whole-child development.
• Harry O’Malley, co-director of UB’s Gifted Math Program and adjunct professor of learning and instruction, will be recognized for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching—the nation’s highest honor for K–12 STEM educators. O’Malley has taught at Casey Middle School for 15 years and is known for connecting mathematics to students’ real-world experiences.
• Ryan Taughrin, assistant dean for enrollment management in GSE, will be recognized for his leadership in enhancing student services and enrollment operations. He has implemented digital systems, reduced barriers to applying and championed student-centered processes across the university.
• X. Christine Wang, professor of learning and instruction and senior associate dean for interdisciplinary research, will receive UB’s Exceptional Scholars: Sustained Achievement Award. Her research at the Fisher-Price Endowed Early Childhood Research Center focuses on digital innovations and equity in early learning.

The following GSE faculty members will also be recognized at the celebration for earning promotion and/or tenure in acknowledgment of their continued excellence in teaching, research and service:

• Christopher P. Brown, professor, Department of Learning and Instruction
• Yunjeong Chang, associate professor, Department of Learning and Instruction
• Elisabeth Etopio, clinical professor, Department of Learning and Instruction
• Namsook Kim, clinical associate professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy
• Tiffany Karalis Noel, clinical associate professor, Department of Learning and Instruction
• Sarah A. Robert, professor, Department of Learning and Instruction
• Stephen Santa-Ramirez, associate professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy
• John Z. Strong, associate professor, Department of Learning and Instruction

The celebration will also highlight a sampling of faculty who earned recognition from prominent national and international organizations across education, psychology and information science fields:

• Tasha Austin, Department of Learning and Instruction — Research Special Interest Group Early Career Award, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
• Federica Bulgarelli, Department of Learning and Instruction — Rising Star Award, Association for Psychological Science
• Mary B. McVee, Department of Learning and Instruction — Division G Mentoring Award, American Educational Research Association
• Amanda B. Nickerson, Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology — Fellow, American Educational Research Association
• Saguna Shankar, Department of Information Science — ProQuest Doctoral Dissertation Award, Association for Information Science and Technology
• Paris D. Wicker, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy — Irvin Lee (Bobby) Wright Dissertation of the Year Award, Association for the Study of Higher Education

“Our faculty and staff’s accomplishments speak to the depth of talent and dedication in the Graduate School of Education. Their recognition at this celebration reflects not only their individual achievements but also the important role GSE plays in advancing research, education and equity on campus and beyond,” said Suzanne Rosenblith, GSE dean and professor.

A reception will follow the ceremony. More information on award categories and additional honorees is available on the Celebration of Academic Excellence website.