LAS Faculty International Impact Award
Recipients
Purpose: To recognize LAS faculty who have had a demonstrated impact on internationalizing the student learning experience.
Eligibility: Any faculty member, including administrative officials with faculty rank. Former recipients of the award are not eligible.
Criteria: Demonstrated evidence of impact in internationalizing the student learning experience, both in the U.S. and abroad. These efforts in internationalization may include development of curriculum, support of and engagement in student study abroad opportunities, creation of international internship and service learning experiences.
Nomination Template
2008
Eric Abbott
Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
Eric Abbott's involvement in international service over four decades has been extensive and far-reaching in scope, breadth and erudition. He has worked in the areas of communications with the World Food Institute in Latin America and the Caribbean, the World Bank in Asia and Russia, USAID in Nigeria and Kyrgyzstan, and more recently with Iowa State’s Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods in Uganda.
2007
Mark Rectanus
World Languages and Cultures
Mark Rectanus, professor of German in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, received the LAS Distinguished International Service Award. A faculty member at Iowa State since 1984, Rectanus is the director of the Languages and Cultures for the Professions Program. He is a former Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung Research Fellow and a Fulbright-Hays Graduate Fellow. His research areas include publishing; print culture and media studies; and globalization and cultural politics.
2006
Kathy Leonard
World Languages and Cultures
Kathy Leonard, professor of Spanish in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, is honored for her work with the College's Latin American Studies Program, study abroad involvement and international research efforts. Kathy directs the Latin American Studies Program and has coordinated several study abroad trips to Bolivia and Peru. Her research interests include Latin American women’s narrative, second language acquisition and translation studies. She has published numerous translations of Latin American women’s narrative and a number of books dealing with the work of women authors. She is currently working on a book project, "Women of Silver and Tin: The Forgotten Miners of Bolivia."
2005
Robert Mazur
Sociology
Robert Mazur is the director of ISU's Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (SRL) Program, which addresses hunger and poverty through international partnerships. The program has formalized relationships with Makerere University and Volunteer Efforts for Development Concerns (an NGO) in Uganda. SRL currently has rural development support project activities in four communities in Uganda. A 2002 recipient of Iowa State University's International Service Award, Mazur has worked extensively in the international arena since becoming a faculty member in 1985. His research projects have taken him to southern African and South and Southeast Asia where he has analyzed the linkages among livelihood strategies (especially involving migration), food security, and health. Along with a colleague in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Mazur is conducting research on child nutrition in HIV-affected communities in Ghana. He was a Fulbright Lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe in the mid-1980s. He has served as a visiting research professor at universities in India, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
2004
Steffen Schmidt
Political Science
Steffen Schmidt has played an important role in introducing learners of all ages to the exciting nature of politics and global affairs. In the Department of Political Science he has had primary responsibility for teaching the required seminars for the international relations majors over the past several years. But his involvement with international studies doesn't stop there. He has introduced people in all walks of life to politics and global politics through his textbook, "American Government and Politics Today, "his weekly Dr. Politics radio show on WOI, his media involvements beyond the Iowa State campus, and his Internet course offering. His most recent work focuses on coastal policy. He has written numerous pieces of work in this area and he is an associate of the Oceanographic Center at Nova University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and the Latin American Institute, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
2003
Warren Dolphin
Genetics, Development and Cell Biology
Warren Dolphin, coordinator of the Biology Program at Iowa State, is a pioneer in developing study abroad activities for the students majoring in biology. Dr. Dolphin has led six study abroad trips serving over 120 students with trips to Australia, Central Europe and Costa Rica. The Biomes of Australia is a month-long expedition that allows students to experience the major biogeographic areas of Australia. In addition to taking students on study abroad tours, Dr. Dolphin established and coordinates the Biology Program's study abroad program. That successful program has seen 13 different faculty in the biological sciences lead or co-lead international field trips to every continent while serving more than 320 students since 1995.
