USU Recognizes 2025 Faculty Award Winners

The Office of Research and the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President hosted the 2025 Faculty Awards Ceremony on Wednesday. This event recognized the research, service and teaching efforts of Utah State University faculty.

The 10 recognized awards and recipients are as follows:

The Cazier Professor Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded to a faculty member who has demonstrated excellence in their academic career at USU for 20 or more years. This year’s recipient is Charles Hawkins, a professor in the Department of Watershed Sciences and director of the National Aquatic Monitoring Center.

Hawkins leads Utah State’s Bug Lab, a nationally recognized center for insect identification. His lab provides research to the National Aquatic Monitoring Center, which is tasked with developing scientifically sound methods to monitor and assess watersheds and report to key stakeholders and decision-makers. In 2019, he was recognized with the D. Wynne Thorne Career Research Award, and, in 2021, he received the Society of Freshwater Science’s Award of Excellence.

The D. Wynne Thorne Career Research Award is the premier research recognition at Utah State University; it is awarded each year to a senior faculty member who has produced a significant portion of their research at USU. The 2025 recipient is Michael Twohig, a professor in the Department of Psychology.

Twohig is a clinical psychologist, a member of the Department of Psychology’s Combined Clinical/Counseling Ph.D. specialization, and co-director of the USU Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Research Group. His research has dramatically transformed the treatment of various mental health disorders, in part through his work on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, an innovative treatment approach. In addition to acquiring substantial grant funding for his research, Twohig has attracted numerous graduate student researchers, introducing them to real-world research early in their careers.

The E.G. Peterson Extension Award is the highest recognition available to USU Extension faculty members. It is awarded to those who provide outstanding service to the state of Utah. The 2025 recipient is JoLene Bunnell, an Extension Professor in the Department of Youth Programs.

Bunnell has been involved in Utah 4-H for most of her life and continues to support youth in her position at Utah State as an Extension 4-H Professor and a State 4-H Ambassador Advisor. She has been nationally recognized for her work in supporting youth programs and youth development. In addition to acquiring millions of dollars to sponsor 4-H programs and provide USU scholarships, she has supervised many interns and served on statewide and national 4-H boards.

The 2024 recipient of the Eldon J. Gardner Teacher of the Year Award, which recognizes extraordinary devotion to and performance in teaching,is Andrew Brim, a professional practice assistant professor in the Department of Data Analytics and Information Systems.

Brim’s previous work as a software developer helps him incorporate real-world industry practices and cutting-edge topics like artificial intelligence in his courses. He has merged software development and business through his creation of software programs for credit derivative trading, rates derivative trading, and electronic and algorithmic trading groups. He also mentors the Algorithmic Trading club, giving him additional opportunities to provide students with real-world career experiences.

The Faculty Researcher of the Year Award recognizes some of USU's most excellent researchers. The 2025 recipient is Brady Cox, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the founding director of the Utah Earthquake Engineering Center.

Cox combines field research with computational modeling and analysis to design seismically-sound infrastructure. His research is global in scale, with Cox collecting site data and conducting dynamic site characterization projects for the seismic design of critical facilities from Japan to Ecuador to Turkey. In 2012, he received the Faculty Early Career Development award from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, a prestigious award he received in a ceremony at the White House.

The Faculty University Service Award recognizes excellence in service for the governing operations of the university. This year's recipient is Shelly Stock Halling, a senior lecturer in the Department of Engineering Education.

Halling co-directs the Engineering Writing Center and serves on a task force to advocate for childcare for USU faculty members. She has participated in the University Faculty Senate, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, the Faculty Evaluation Committee, and the Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee. Additionally, Halling benefits the Utah State student body by serving as an adjudicator for undergraduate poster sessions, reviewing student conference papers, and assisting with the student chapters of the Society of Women Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.

The Outstanding Graduate Mentor of the Year Award recognizes USU mentors who have done a notable job helping their graduate students prepare for a professional career. In addition to his previous recognition, Michael Twohig also received this award.

Twohig’s prestigious research attracts numerous skilled graduate students to his program. In addition to mentoring students in his own program, Twohig mentors graduate students in doctoral programs in psychology and audiology. He has mentored or co-mentored the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services Graduate Researcher of the Year in six of the last 10 years, and the University Graduate Researcher of the Year for the last three years.

The Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year Award recognizes USU mentors who have done an outstanding job helping their undergraduate students prepare for a career. The 2025 recipient is Alyssa Reidhead, a professional practice assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences.

Each year, Reidhead hosts a “wellness luncheon” for her students where they apply the skills they learn in a hands-on environment. She prioritizes teaching leadership and management aspects of food services in her classes. This style of education has allowed several of her students to start their own businesses following graduation, with Reidhead coaching them through the process.

The Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentor of the Year Award recognizes faculty members who have focused on research mentorship and acted as role models in the field of research. The 2025 recipient is Katie Kraus, an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences.

In her time as an undergraduate student, Kraus was one of the first Undergraduate Research Fellows. She uses her experience with student research to serve as a supportive mentor for current undergraduates and has been recognized for her work by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture. Kraus mentors students through the research process, from initial proposals to publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

The USU Presidential Award for Civic and Community Engagement recognizes a faculty member who incorporates a community-based style into their teaching or has conducted community-engaged research. This year's awardee is Courtney Flint, a professor in the Department of Environment and Society.

Flint’s recognition primarily comes from her work on the Utah Wellbeing Project, a program that uses interdisciplinary survey data to record measures of wellbeing across Utah counties. She directs a team of staff and students in collecting and analyzing data, which is then compiled into a comprehensive report to inform city planners and legislators on what is necessary in their communities.

Those interested in a complete list of the nominees for each award can visit the Faculty Awards Ceremony website.