The Scroll and The Quill were separate societies in the 1980s at 麻豆原创; the scroll representing research achievement and the quill representing creative achievements such as published books and plays. In 2015, Faculty Excellence revamped the society, honoring legacy members and welcoming new faculty into this prestigious organization.

More than 60 faculty members and guests attended the Oct. 30 reception at the Burnett House.

鈥淭his society is a community of scholars who have continued to advance 麻豆原创鈥檚 transformational impact for at least a decade, inspiring students, fellow faculty and the community,鈥� said Jana Jasinski, vice provost for Faculty Excellence.

The 2018 inductees are:

Among the recognitions this year are five Pegasus Professors, five Reach for the Stars recipients, service awards and other campus achievements.

The聽Pegasus Professor Award is the highest academic honor an educator can receive at 麻豆原创聽and rewards highly successful teaching, research and creative activity, and service accomplished by senior members of the faculty. Recipients must have worked at 麻豆原创 at least five years and have conducted research or developed programs that have made national and international impact.

These awards are determined by the president and come with a $5,000 stipend and a $5,000 research grant. To reach the height of Pegasus, one must be exceptional in every area 鈥� teaching, research and service. These five faculty members embody excellence in every sense of the word.

Meet the Pegasus Professor Honorees

Maureen Ambrose

Gordon J. Barnett Professor of Business Ethics

鈥淯ltimately, my work can help an organization better manage their people, improving not only the organization, but the individual employees,鈥� Ambrose says.

According to Ambrose, she has 鈥渢he coolest job in the world.鈥� But Ambrose didn鈥檛 see herself in academia until she earned her Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology three decades ago. Today, she鈥檚 helping individuals reach their full potential in their careers 鈥� and in their lives. 鈥淯ltimately, my work can help an organization better manage their people, improving not only the organization, but the individual employees,鈥� she says.

Her research looks at the way companies interact with their employees and what effect it has on a business and its people 鈥� everything from organizational fairness and ethics to workplace deviance. She has become an international leader in these fields, setting best practices for organizations to follow. And while an academic path wasn鈥檛 her first instinct, she has been able to help more people in the workplace than if she hadn鈥檛.

鈥淚 get to research things that I鈥檓 interested in and help change workplace behaviors. I love it.鈥�

Clint Bowers

Professor of Clinical Psychology

Bowers created a peer-support training program that has helped more than 600 first responders, including those from the Pulse nightclub, Las Vegas and Parkland shootings.

Bowers jokes a lot more than you might think a clinical psychologist would. 鈥淵ou should just give this award to my students,鈥� he says, laughing and gesturing to a group of graduate students. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e the ones who do all the work. I just tell them what they鈥檙e doing wrong.鈥�

Joking isn鈥檛 the only thing that sets Bowers apart from other clinical psychologists. He occupies a space in psychological research that is unique 鈥� skilled in training science, cutting-edge technology and psychological disorders. At 麻豆原创 RESTORES, he pairs emerging technologies with established practices to enhance prevention, intervention, treatment and resiliency efforts. 鈥淚f you were in a war and drove over an IED, you come back home terrified to drive,鈥� he explains. 鈥淲e immerse you in your greatest fear in a safe environment.鈥�

Because of his Navy background, Bowers knew that military and first responders are more likely to seek help from peers, rather than professionals. He created a peer-support training program that has helped more than 600 first responders, including those from the Pulse nightclub, Las Vegas and Parkland shootings.

Daniel Britt

Professor of Planetary Science

Britt is the director of the NASA Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science at 麻豆原创, and with his colleagues, is helping establish 麻豆原创 as a national leader in planetary sciences.

Britt has an asteroid named after him 鈥� Asteroid 4395 鈥淒anbritt鈥� 鈥� in recognition of his contributions to asteroid research science. Every NASA Mars lander since 1997 has included imaging calibration targets developed by him. And Britt, a professor of astronomy, is a co-investigator on NASA鈥檚 Lucy, New Horizons, Mars Pathfinder and Deep Space One missions.

So how did he get his start in planetary and asteroid exploration? By graduating with degrees in economics.

鈥淚 went to school for economics and worked in the aerospace industry,鈥� Britt says. 鈥淚 wanted to work on NASA missions, and to do that, I needed to go back to school.鈥� So he earned his Ph.D. in geology. Today, Britt is the director of the NASA Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science at 麻豆原创, and with his colleagues, is helping establish 麻豆原创 as a national leader in planetary sciences. The center is one of nine virtual institutes NASA funds to focus on space science and human space exploration.

鈥淭he work is always challenging and interesting and it鈥檚 making valuable contributions to our society, plus it鈥檚 a worldwide adventure.鈥�

Kathleen Richardson

Professor of Optics and Materials Science

Richardson developed a special glass with specific optical properties and ability to withstand extreme temperatures that can be used in devices such as night vision goggles or infrared cameras.

Richardson hadn鈥檛 seen much of the world when she arrived at college. It wasn鈥檛 until her first job provided her experiences, such as visiting China as part of a delegation on the creation and refinement of ceramics, that her world expanded.

鈥淪cience is a global business,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he companies I work with do business all over the world. I try to expose this perspective to my students as early as possible, so they can begin working on the soft skills, such as interacting with other disciplines and cultures.鈥�

Today, Richardson developed a special glass with specific optical properties and ability to withstand extreme temperatures that can be used in devices such as night vision goggles or infrared cameras. Recently, she and her students worked with an international company to create a specific type of glass for a commercial project, initially creating the glass in her lab and then working with the company to show how to scale up production.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about giving back to the industry, the profession and to your students. That little piece of their lives you share and the great things they go onto do is the joy in the service of our profession.鈥�

Cherie Yestrebsky 鈥�90

Department Chair and Professor of Chemistry

鈥淏eing able to use chemistry to help humanity is really what gives me a charge and makes me passionate.鈥�

Yestrebsky is no stranger to outdoor life. 鈥淚 grew up climbing trees and playing in the mud,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y dad was in construction and helped build 麻豆原创, so I鈥檝e always had a connection here, too.鈥�

As an undergraduate student at 麻豆原创, Yestrebsky went on to graduate school as a result of a pep talk from a professor. Today, she has combined her passions for chemistry and the environment to make a real-world impact. Her research has helped eight countries safely clean their water with a substance she and her laboratory research group created that is injected into aquifers. Her research has also impacted the construction industry through a paste you can apply to walls to draw toxic chemicals out of concrete, brick and other construction materials and then wipe off once the chemicals have been removed.

鈥淏eing able to use chemistry to help humanity is really what gives me a charge and makes me passionate. I鈥檓 an application-based researcher, I want to know how we can make life better for the people living in it today.鈥�

Meet the Reach for the Stars Honorees

The Reach for the Stars awards are presented to five early-career professors聽for their research and service to the university. The research interests of the associate and assistant professors range from fiber optics to tuberculosis drugs to emotional intelligence.

President John C. Hitt selects the recipients, who聽receive a $10,000 annual research grant for three years, which can be renewed based on their promising work. This is the fifth year 麻豆原创 has given Reach for the Stars Awards.

Rodrigo Amezcua Correa

Assistant professor of optics and photonics

Amezcua Correa created a world-class laboratory, which received more than $12 million in funding, for design and fabrication of optical fibers and fiber-based photonic devices. As part of his research, he has published more than 125 journal and conference papers, has made major advances in the development of innovative hollow-core fiber technologies and has licensed his optical fiber sensing technology, which has raised more than $1.3 million.

In a letter of recommendation, Bahaa Saleh, dean of the College of Optics & Photonics, said: 鈥淚 expect him to continue to serve in such leadership positions in years to come and to continue to be an exceptional ambassador for 麻豆原创. Amezcua-Correa鈥檚 research and innovation has been impressive and impactful, and I expect new ideas to come from his lab.鈥�

George Atia

Assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering

Atia has publishes 25 journal articles, and his research interests include statistical signal processing, brain signal processing, machine learning and big data analytics. In the past five years, he has received three National Science Foundation grants, two from the Office of Naval Research, and one Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency totaling $1.5 million. His NSF Award on brain research was the first collaborative grant between the College of Engineering & Computer Science and College of Medicine to receive external funding.

In a letter of recommendation, Professor Xun Gong said: 鈥淢y overall impression is that he is a teacher with enthusiasm and dedication, a researcher with high standards and strong productivity, and a colleague with politeness and spirit of collaboration.鈥�

Debashis Chanda

Assistant professor of nanotechnology

As an electrical engineer and nano scientist, Chanda is developing new optoelectronic devices and established an internationally recognized research program. He created the world鈥檚 first skin-like plasmonic display with tunable color, which was recognized by the NSF as one of the major achievements of the International Year of Light in 2015. He has received more than $2 million in research funding and published more than 20 journal articles.

In a letter of recommendation, Elizabeth Klonoff, vice president for research and dean of the College of Graduate Studies, said: 鈥淎cross every conceivable dimension, from the quality and quantity of his research, to the nature of his teaching and mentoring of students, to his service activities, Dr. Chanda is outstanding.鈥�

Dana Joseph

Assistant professor of management

Joseph conducts research on emotional intelligence, which is the ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others, and how to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships. Her work has resulted in 23 journal articles, five book chapters and 63 conference presentations. Her research has become among the most highly cited work on emotional intelligence in organizations, and has received funding from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

In a letter of recommendation, Marshall Schminke, a professor of business ethics, said: 鈥淒r. Joseph鈥檚 record is extraordinary on all fronts. Her research, teaching and service not only support 麻豆原创鈥檚 strategic plan, but also demonstrate the high levels of success that are characteristic of 麻豆原创 Reach for the Stars awardees. I have served at 麻豆原创 for nearly two decades, and never have I been associated with a more impressive junior colleague.鈥�

Kyle Rohde

Assistant professor of biomedical sciences

Rohde established a well-funded research program working on developing new anti-tuberculosis drugs. In the past six years, he and his lab have received $2.3 million in grants, most of them from the National Institutes of Health. Rohde has published 27 peer-reviewed papers, is often asked to give talks at universities, and he and his lab members have presented their work extensively at regional national and international conferences.

In a letter of recommendation, Deborah C. German, vice president for medical affairs and dean of the College of Medicine, said: 鈥淒r. Rohde is exactly the type of faculty member we seek to support at 麻豆原创 鈥� dedicated researcher working on important world problems, committed teacher who trains the next generation of biomedical scientists, and a colleague who works with others to elevate 麻豆原创.鈥�

Demanding high performance by employees without emphasizing the need to follow a code of ethics encourages cheating in the workplace, according to a study led by professors from the 麻豆原创, University of Georgia, Arizona State University, and University of Nebraska-Kearney.

鈥淎ssuring employees that their supervisors will reward hard work鈥攏ot cheating鈥攎ay dissuade workers from breaking the rules to get ahead,鈥� said , professor of business ethics at 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Business.

Ambrose and colleague Robert Folger partnered with researchers from the other universities to publish their findings in the Journal of Applied Psychology in December.

The study said 鈥渁s organizations place a strong emphasis on high levels of performance, they may also enhance employees鈥� self-interested motives and need for self-protection. 鈥� Employees [then] experience anger and heightened self-serving cognitions, which motivate cheating behavior.鈥�

On other words, if performance demands are too high, employees may feel like they need to do anything to meet goals so they don鈥檛 lose their jobs.

鈥淓mployers need to be thoughtful about the goals they set for employees and how these goals are presented and managed,鈥� Ambrose said. 鈥淗igh performance standards have benefits, but our work suggests the standards must be challenging, not threatening.鈥�

To read more about the study click here: 鈥溾��

Maureen Ambrose, professor of management in the College of Business Administration, has been named the Gordon J. Barnett Professor of Business Ethics.

Her new position allows her to spend more time on research. Her research interests include organizational fairness, ethics, and workplace deviance. She is widely published in these areas and has held editorial positions at several peer-reviewed journals.

鈥淚 am honored to step into this position. But beyond the personal satisfaction is the excitement I feel for the opportunities this creates for 麻豆原创. We are already an internationally-recognized center for research on issues related to business ethics. This position provides us the opportunity to not only continue those efforts, but to extend them to our doctoral program and beyond,鈥� said Ambrose.

鈥淎s a result, we will not only continue our reputation as 鈥榯he place to be鈥� for serious business ethics research. We will also become known as the source for business ethics scholars of tomorrow. I can’t tell you how proud I am to be a part of that!鈥�

Ambrose has been a faculty member since 1999. Prior to joining 麻豆原创, she served on the faculty at the University of Iowa and was director of research for the University of Colorado at Boulder College of Business. She has also been a visiting scholar at the Instituto d鈥橢mpressa in Madrid and the Universit茅 de Toulouse in France.

Ambrose is a fellow of the Academy of Management and the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She is a member of the Society for Organizational Behavior and has served on the executive committee for the Society since 2007. Additionally, she is a member of the Academy of Management ethics education committee.

She received her Ph.D. in 1986 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.