Celebrating faculty and staff excellence

UB’s exceptional faculty and staff embody the excellence and impact that are the foundation of the university’s mission and the center of all its activities, Provost Charles F. Zukoski told those attending Thursday’s Celebration of Faculty and Staff Excellence.

“You, our colleagues that we celebrate today, exemplify academic excellence at UB because you have pioneered practices and perspectives, advanced understanding and improved lives through your work,” Zukoski said in closing remarks at the annual event recognizing the work and achievement of faculty and staff in research, teaching and service.

“These are exceptional achievements, and SUNY and UB awards recognize their significance for honorees’ disciplines and for our university, students and communities.”

Zukoski noted that in addition to these awards, UB faculty have received numerous other prestigious national and international honors and awards that recognize “the broad impact and excellence of their scholarly, teaching, creative, clinical and outreach activities.”

“Through these accomplishments, you have made a significant impact on our world,” he told the audience in Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall that included the honorees, their family and friends, and other members of the university community. “These highly competitive awards play an important role in building UB’s global reputation, and they publicly demonstrate the significant societal impact of our faculty and our university.”

“Our entire university benefits from the excellence of all of today’s honorees, as your achievements and efforts are critical to UB’s success and momentum.”

After welcoming remarks from President Satish K. Tripathi, the program turned to the main event: public recognition of UB faculty and staff members who received prestigious UB and SUNY awards during the past year.

Those honored included faculty members who were named SUNY Distinguished Professors, UB Distinguished Professors, UB Exceptional Scholars and UB Teaching Innovators, as well as recipients of the SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence. A full list of the honorees can be found online.

Also recognized were 21 employees who have completed the exceptional milestone of 50 years of service to UB, as well as recipients of two UB mentoring awards: the UB Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award and the UB President Emeritus and the Mrs. Meyerson Award for Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching and Mentoring.

The celebration also featured a screening of an excerpt from “See It Through Buffalo,” a documentary short on exhibit in Venice, Italy, as part of the Venice Architecture Biennale, directed by UB architecture professors Gregory Delaney and Korydon Smith, and produced by Paget Films, in association with faculty and students from the School of Architecture and Planning.

A reception in the Slee lobby followed the ceremony.