SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service
Established in 2004, this award acknowledges faculty who have made sustained and wide-ranging service contributions to a broad array of university constituents. The award recipients have distinguished themselves through exceptional service to the university and to their communities, as well as to their disciplinary, professional and faculty governance organizations at the statewide, national and international levels.
2023-24 Honorees
Jason B. Benedict
Department of Chemistry
Jason Benedict, PhD, is a professor of chemistry. A fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and an NSF CAREER Award recipient, he is held in the highest regard for his record of exceptional service to UB and his field, as well as for having made a national impact on K-12 education and the STEM community. As the director of graduate studies in his department from 2018-2022, he is credited with refining departmental policies and procedures, increasing engagement with students, and furthering efforts to support students from underrepresented groups. In 2014, he founded and continues to administer the U.S. Crystal Growing Competition for K-12 students. Since its inception, thousands of students nationwide have participated in the contest.
A-Z
Rachael Hageman Blair
Department of Biostatistics
Rachael Hageman Blair, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Biostatistics and the associate director of education in the UB Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. She is a nationally and internationally recognized biostatistician with expertise in bioinformatics, artificial intelligence and data mining. Her unique skillset in high-demand areas has made her an invaluable collaborator as well as a cross-disciplinary mentor to students and junior faculty members. An exemplary scholar and a passionate educator, she has had a profound impact on her students, motivating them with her enthusiastic approach to teaching. Her remarkable record of service comes from her extensive outreach, collaboration and mentorship, which is expanding the scholarly reach of the field and shaping future generations of researchers.
Xuedong Hu
Department of Physics
Xuedong Hu, PhD, is a professor and the chair of the Department of Physics. He is a world leader in condensed matter physics, particularly quantum computing. The first faculty member at UB with this specific scholarly focus, he has made profound contributions to his field. In conjunction with his pioneering research, he has demonstrated a deep commitment to his students, providing teaching and leadership that have strategically enhanced the department’s recruitment, enrollment and retention. As the director of graduate studies in his department, he spearheaded a reform of the PhD program’s admissions process and led the Graduate Studies Committee to modernize the program requirements in order to help retain and reward high-performing students.