Portland State University Research Award Winners

2024 Research Award Winners

Campus-Wide Awards:

  • Presidential Career Research Award: Birol Yeşilada, Professor, Political Science and International Studies at the Hatfield School of Government | Watch video
  • Graduate Mentoring Excellence Award:  Karen Haley, Professor, Postsecondary, Adult, and Continuing Education (PACE) program, Graduate School of Education | Watch video
  • Undergraduate Mentoring Excellence Award: Bill Griesar, Teaching Assistant Professor, Psychology | Watch video
  • Early Career Research Award: Fang Song, Associate Professor, Computer Science | Watch video
  • Research Faculty Award: Papireddy Kancharla, Research Assistant Professor, Chemistry | Watch video
  • Research Administrator of the Year Award: Becca Lockwood, Sponsored Projects Officer, Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) | Watch video

Colleges & Schools Researcher of the Year Awards:

  • College of Education: Rana Yaghmaian, Associate Professor and Department Chair, Counselor Education 
  • College of Liberal Arts & Sciences: Alida Cantor, Associate Professor of Geography | Watch video
  • College of the Arts: Alison Heryer, Costume Designer and Interdisciplinary Artist  | Watch video
  • College of Urban & Public Affairs: Lindsay Benstead,  Professor of Politics and Global Studies 
  • Maseeh College of Engineering & Computer Science: Raúl Bayoán Cal, Daimler Professor, Mechanical and Materials Engineering | Watch video
  • OHSU-PSU School of Public Health: Neal Wallace, Professor,  Health Systems Management and Policy | Watch video
  • School of Social Work: Matthew Town, Assistant Professor, Social Work  | Watch video
  • School of Business: Marta's Stelmaszak Rosa, Assistant Professor, Information Systems | Watch video
  • University Honors College: Amy Borden, Associate Professor, Humanities and Film Studies  | Watch video

2023 Research Award Winners

Campus-Wide Awards:

  • Presidential Career Research Award: Ken Stedman, Professor, Biology | Watch video
  • Graduate Mentoring Excellence Award:  Melissa Thompson, Professor, Sociology | Watch video
  • Early Career Research Award: Kelly Gleason, Associate Professor, Ecohydrology, Department of Environmental Science and Management | Watch video
  • Research Faculty Award: Karen Cellarius, Senior Research Associate, Regional Research Institute (RRI) | Watch video
  • Research Administrator of the Year Award: Helen Frey, Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science

Colleges & Schools Researcher of the Year Awards:

  • College of Education: Amy Parker, Assistant Professor, Special Education & Orientation and Mobility | Watch video
  • College of Liberal Arts & Sciences: Janice Lee, Assistant Professor, Creative Writing  | Watch video
  • College of the Arts: Laila Seewang, Assistant Professor, Architecture
  • College of Urban & Public Affairs: Billie Sandberg, Associate Professor, Public Administration  | Watch video
  • Maseeh College of Engineering & Computer Science: John Lipor, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering | Watch video
  • OHSU-PSU School of Public Health: Ryan Petteway, Associate Professor, Public Health  | Watch video
  • School of Social Work: Miranda Mosier-Puentes, Assistant Professor, Child, Youth and Family Studies | Watch video
  • School of Business: Theodore Khoury, Professor of Management and Strategy | Watch video
  • University Honors College: Rebecca Summer, Assistant Professor, Urban Geography | Watch video

2022 Research Award Winners

Campus-Wide Awards:

  • Presidential Career Research Award: Randy Bluffstone, Economics, Institute for Economics and the Environment
  • Graduate Mentoring Excellence Award:  Katy Barber, History
  • Early Career Research Award: Christina Sun, OHSU-PSU School of Public Health
  • Research Faculty Award: Anne Thompson, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Research Administrator of the Year Award: Leigh Ahlgren, Sponsored Projects Administration

Colleges & Schools Researcher of the Year Awards:

  • College of Education: Torrey Kulow, Assistant Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction 
  • College of Liberal Arts & Sciences: Eva Thanheiser, Professor, Mathematics 
  • College of the Arts: Jumgmin Kwon, Associate Professor, Digital Culture and Film Studies 
  • College of Urban & Public Affairs: Kris Henning, Professor, Criminology & Criminal Justice 
  • Maseeh College of Engineering & Computer Science: Bob Bass, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering 
  • OHSU-PSU School of Public Health: Lynne Messer, Assistant Dean & Associate Professor, Epidemiology and Community Health 
  • School of Social Work: Ericka Kimball, Associate Professor 
  • School of Business: Julia Freybote, Assistant Professor of Finance and Real Estate

2021 Research Award Winners

Campus-Wide Awards:

  • Presidential Career Research Award: Jennifer Dill, Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning and Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC)
  • Graduate Mentoring Excellence Award:  David H. Peyton, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Early Career Research Award: Julius Alexander McGee, Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning and Black Studies
  • Research Faculty Award: Dora M. Raymaker, Regional Research Institute for Human Services, School of Social Work
  • Research Administrator of the Year Award: Aleksandra Herynk, Sponsored Projects Administration

Colleges & Schools Researcher of the Year Awards:

  • College of Education: Amanda Sugimoto, Assistant Professor, Curriculum and Instruction 
  • College of Liberal Arts & Sciences: Jola Ajibade, Assistant Professor, Geography 
  • College of the Arts: George Colligan, Associate Professor, School of Music & Theater 
  • College of Urban & Public Affairs: Melody Ellis Valdini, Professor and Chair, Political Science 
  • Maseeh College of Engineering & Computer Science: Jonathan Bird, Associate Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering 
  • OHSU-PSU School of Public Health: Christina Sun, Assistant Professor 
  • School of Social Work: Amie Thurber, Assistant Professor 
  • School of Business: Meredith Woehler, Assistant Professor

2020 Research Award Winners

Campus-Wide Awards:

  • Presidential Career Research Award: Talya Bauer, School of Business | Watch video
  • Graduate Mentoring Excellence Award:  Virginia Butler, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Watch video
  • Early Career Research Award: Greg Townley, Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative | Watch video
  • Research Faculty Award: Jennifer Blakeslee, Regional Research Institute for Human Services, School of Social Work | Watch video
  • Research Administrator of the Year Award: Corey Smitke, Sponsored Projects Administration

Colleges & Schools Researcher of the Year Awards:

  • College of Education: Professor Ann Fullerton, Special Education 
  • College of Liberal Arts & Sciences: Assistant Professor Laura Robson, History 
  • College of the Arts: Assistant Professor Lisa Jarrett, Art + Design 
  • College of Urban & Public Affairs: Professor G.L.A. Harris, School of Government 
  • Maseeh College of Engineering & Computer Science: Assistant Professor Arash Khosravifar, Civil & Environmental Engineering
  • OHSU-PSU School of Public Health: Assistant Professor Julia Goodman 
  • School of Social Work: Assistant Professor Susanne Klawetter 
  • School of Business: Professor Carlos Mena, Business Administration