Awards
Honoring the achievements of WSU faculty and staff
Each year Washington State University recognizes the outstanding achievements of its faculty and staff. Those honored stand among the world’s top scholars, the nation’s most effective and beloved instructors, and the University’s most dedicated and visionary professionals.
These individuals share an unflagging commitment to the University community. By encouraging and challenging students to reach their highest potential, they have created a legacy of excellence that will endure for generations to come.
2025 Awardees
AFW Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award
Samantha Swindell
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Scholarly Professor, Department of Psychology
Emerit Society Legacy of Excellence Award
Ken Casavant
Professor Emeritus, School of Economic Sciences
Faculty Diversity Award
Tarah S. Sullivan
Associate Professor, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
Faculty Mid-Career Award
Lisa Wasko DeVetter
Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award
Xiao Zhang
Professor, The Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering
Presenter of the Distinguished Faculty Address
Yong Wang
Regents Professor, The Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering
President’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Career-Track Faculty
Blythe Duell
Career-Track Professor (Scholarly), Department of Psychology
Gunjan Gakhar
Career-Track Associate Professor (Teaching), School of Biological Sciences
President’s Employee Excellence Awards
Jennifer C. Anderson
Coordinator, Collaboration for Interprofessional Health Education Research & Scholarship (CIPHERS)
Neal S. Burke
Research Technologist Supervisor, Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Min Kuang
Fiscal Analyst, College of Arts & Sciences
Robert Lentz
Information Systems Coordinator, School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Jeremy Watson
Graduate Program Coordinator, Edward R. Murrow College of Communication
Sahlin Eminent Faculty Award
Maria (Masha) Gartstein
Professor and Chair, Department of Psychology
Sahlin Faculty Excellence Awards
Amit Bandyopadhyay
Professor, School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Danh T. Pham
Professor, School of Music
Christine V. Portfors
Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education and Professor, School of Biological Sciences
Bernie Van Wie
Professor, The Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering
V. Lane Rawlins President’s Award for Distinguished Lifetime Service
Michael David Griswold
Regents Professor Emeritus, School of Molecular Biosciences