Faculty and Staff Recognition 2025-2026

Oldfather and Burnett Halls near a blossoming tree

Content

The College of Arts and Sciences is proud to recognize the faculty and staff whose work strengthens our mission in teaching, research, creative activity, and service. Their achievements reflect the dedication, innovation, and care that shape our college and support the success of our students and communities. We celebrate these colleagues and thank them for the many ways they advance the impact of CAS and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.


University

Professorships

University Professorships recognize those who have shown an extraordinary level of scholarly or creative achievement and clear potential for continuing accomplishments.

Willa Cather/Charles Bessey professorships recognize professor-rank faculty who have established exceptional records of distinguished scholarship or creative activity.

Aaron Douglas/John E. Weaver professorships recognize full-professor faculty who demonstrate sustained and extraordinary levels of teaching excellence and national visibility for instructional activities and/or practice.

Details available on Nebraska Today.

Joy Castro

Joy Castro

Leland J. and Dorothy H. Olson Chancellor’s Distinguished Chair of English

Allan Donsig

Allan Donsig

Aaron Douglas professor of mathematics

Jiantao Guo

Jiantao Guo

Willa Cather professor of chemistry

Xia Hong

Xia Hong

Willa Cather professor of physics and astronomy

Jay Storz

Jay Storz

George Holmes professor of biological sciences

Manda Williamson

Manda Williamson

John E. Weaver professor of practice in psychology

Edgerton Junior Faculty Award

Honors an outstanding junior faculty member who has demonstrated creative research, extraordinary teaching abilities, and academic promise.

Kristen Amman

Kristen Amman

Mathematics


College

CAS Outstanding Research and Creative Activity (ORCA) Award

Recognizes significant research and creative accomplishments of UNL faculty in the last five years.

Carrie Heitman

Carrie Heitman

Anthropology
(Social Sciences)

Susan Hermiller

Susan Hermiller

Mathematics
(Natural Sciences)

Melissa Homestead

Melissa Homestead

English
(Humanities)

CAS Mentoring Award

Honors faculty or staff involved in exemplary mentoring activities that go above and beyond normally expected contributions.

Christina Fielder

Christina Fielder

Academic and Career Advising Center

Jeannette Jones

Jeannette Jones

19th Century Studies, History, Ethnic Studies

College Distinguished Teaching Award

Honors consistently excellent teaching.

Kati Brazeal

Kati Brazeal

Biological Sciences

Dawne Y. Curry

Dawne Y. Curry

History, Ethnic Studies

Katrina Jagodinsky

Katrina Jagodinsky

History

Jack Jeffries

Jack Jeffries

Mathematics

Michael Page

Michael Page

English

Aaron PeeksMease

Aaron PeeksMease

Sociology