Announcing Our Faculty and Staff Award Winners

Dear Colleagues,

I am so pleased to announce the recipients of our Presidential Faculty and Staff awards, as well as the UMBC faculty who have been selected for University System of Maryland Board of Regents Awards. These faculty and staff are examples of the strength of our community and the excellent work that you do to advance our mission. 

Presidential Teaching and Research Professors, named annually to three-year appointments, are nominated by administrative and academic departments. They are honored for their professional accomplishments, dedication to the university's mission, and service to the university. The Presidential Distinguished Staff Awards recognize both exempt (professional) staff and non-exempt staff members for exceptional performance and service. Recipients are nominated by their colleagues across campus and selected by UMBC's Staff Awards Committee.

Please join me in congratulating the winners of the Presidential Distinguished Staff and Faculty Awards:

2023-2026 Presidential Teaching Professor

Kyung-Eun Yoon, Senior Lecturer, Modern Languages, Linguistics, and Intercultural Communication

2023-2026 Presidential Research Professor

Matthew Pelton, Professor, Physics

2023-2024 Presidential Distinguished Professional Staff

Trisha Wells, Assistant Vice Provost, Division of Professional Studies

2023-2024 Presidential Distinguished Non-Exempt Staff

Shannon Mize, Business Services Specialist, Graduate School

Additionally, we are thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of two of our colleagues who have been selected to receive awards granted by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. The Regents' Faculty Award is the highest honor presented by the Board of Regents to exemplary faculty members. Awardees are selected by the Council of University System Faculty and submitted to the Board of Regents for approval. The awards honor faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in teaching; scholarship, research, or creative activity; public service; mentoring; or innovation. 

Please join me in congratulating our outstanding faculty recipients:

2023 University System of Maryland Board of Regents' Faculty Award for Excellence in Scholarship or Research

Charissa Cheah, Professor, Psychology

2023 University System of Maryland Board of Regents' Faculty Award for Excellence in Scholarship or Research

Anupam Joshi, Oros Family Professor and Chair, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

I look forward to celebrating their accomplishments at our Presidential Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 5.Please join us for a community lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m., followed by the awards ceremony at noon. We also will honor the recipients of other distinguished university awards. You can learn more about our awardees and the ceremony below. An official invitation to the event will follow.

Thank you for all that you do for UMBC. I wish you all a restful and happy spring break!

President Valerie Sheares Ashby