NAU’s exemplary faculty honored

Faculty Awards lain out over the table

Faculty members were recognized during the 14th Annual Faculty and Academic Professionals ceremony April 14 at the High Country Conference Center.

Promotions were awarded to 48 individuals who earned the rank of senior lecturer, principal lecturer, associate clinical professor, clinical professor, associate professor with tenure and professor. Additionally, 19 faculty members were recognized for their emeritus status, including individuals who will retire at the end of this semester.

President Rita Cheng thanked members of the faculty for supporting students. “Your commitment to the success of each student contributes to the excellence at Northern Arizona University and reinforces our well-deserved reputation for individual attention,” Cheng said.

Pfeffer
President Rita Cheng presented Mara Pfeffer with the Provost’s Award for Part-Time Faculty. Pfeffer teaches in University College.

Nancy Johnson, professor in the School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, became a Regents’ professor, in part because of her research on mycorrhizae and their symbiotic relationship with plants.

The President’s Distinguished Teaching Fellow Award was given to Beverly Amer of the W.A. Franke College of Business and Patricia Murphey in the School of Communication.

This year’s ceremony included a first: the Provost’s Award for a Part-Time Faculty. Mara Pfeffer, who received the award and teaches in University College, said she enjoys working with first-year students. Earlier this month, she brought a group to a dairy farm in Chino Valley, where they learned about food systems and sustainability by talking to the farm’s owners. “Exploring ideas together and hands-on learning are some of my favorite things about teaching at NAU,” Pfeffer said.

View a photo gallery from the event online.