Utah State Honors Newly Promoted Professors

In an ongoing effort to increase the visibility of outstanding scholarship on campus, the office of the Provost has initiated an Inaugural Professor Lecture series.  The lecture series gives all recently promoted full professors an opportunity to showcase their portfolio of academic excellence and inaugurate the next phase of their career.

 

"The lecture series honors each person at Utah State who has achieved the highest rank at the university, by giving them the first great opportunity in the next phase of their wonderful careers in academics," said President Kermit L. Hall. "The full professors will get the chance to reflect on their careers and show their community of friends, family and colleagues the issues of importance to them."

 

In most cases, the lecture consists of an introduction by the dean of the college, followed by a short lecture (30-40 minutes). For those in the performing arts it can also be a short exhibit or performance.  

 

The lecture summarizes how the professor first became interested in academics and discusses the cutting-edge research being conducted by the presenting professor. After the presentation, there is time for the audience to ask questions and engage in a discussion.

 

The lecture provides an opportunity for professors to share their excitement with colleagues, and it encourages thoughtful discovery and consideration of the world of opportunities that exist to contribute to the global stock of knowledge, Hall said.

 

Michael Nicholls, newly promoted professor of history, gave the opening lecture for this year’s series on Wed., Sept. 8. His lecture illustrated the historical research he does by reconstructing the life of a man named Caesar Hope, who was brought to Virginia as a slave when he was a boy and who gained freedom in the era of the American revolution.

 

Hope appears only six or eight times in actual records. Focusing less on Hope’s life, Nicholls wanted to emphasize the process of discovering and reconstructing it from these bits and pieces.

 

This topic of his lecture stems from Nicholls’ current research on slave runaways in 18^th -century Virginia. Nicholls can also be recognized for his published monographs, book chapters, articles and professional presentations regarding similar topics.

 

Nicholls has been a part of the Utah State faculty since 1970 and has been awarded Department Teacher of the Year several times, as well as other awards and recognitions.

 

The next professor to be honored in the series is Todd Crowl, from the department of aquatic, watershed and earth resources. Crowl’s lecture is Friday, Oct. 29.