Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts recognizes high performers and world-class achievers who enthusiastically embrace the values and goals of our strategic plans. These awards celebrate excellence in teaching, research, service, and administration that advance the human condition, contribute to the Ivan Allen Advantage, and honor the legacy of Mayor Ivan Allen Jr.
Award Categories
- Buzz Awards
- Distinguished Teaching Awards
- Outstanding Achievement in Interdisciplinary Activities Award
- Research Excellence Awards
- Previous Award Winners
Nominations
Each nomination requires a brief justification (1,000 characters or less) and the nominee’s resume/curriculum vitae. Nominations are due by 11:59 pm on Friday, March 20, 2026. Self, peer, and leadership nominations are welcome. Recipients will be selected by a college award committee based on the merits and strengths of their contributions. Awardees will be featured in the College’s Annual Awards Ceremony and End of the Year Celebration on Wednesday, April 29, at 11 a.m.
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Buzz Awards
The award recognizes staff and academic professionals that have upheld the Institute’s mission for progress and service by: suggesting and implementing new processes for administrative workflow or information sharing; creating new ways to improve service offered to faculty, students, and colleagues; cultivating connections among colleagues internal and external to GT; and taking initiative to represent the college.
- Eligibility: Full-time staff or academic professionals with a minimum of 1 year of continuous, regular service within the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and in good standing with his/her respective unit, the college, and the Institute. Prior year award recipients are not eligible for nomination.
- Award: $2,000 taxable monetary award
- Number of Awards: Up to 10 per academic year
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Buzz Award for Administrative Service
Provided outstanding and ongoing excellence in services to faculty, staff, students, and/or other constituents. Developed innovative solutions to problems that resulted in significantly more effective and efficient department or Institute operations. Enhanced the quality of work-life in ways that made a significant difference for colleagues or customers. Set an example of leadership, commitment, and strong work ethic.
Buzz Award for Spirit of Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
Exemplified the Institute's mission to improve the human condition by advancing Mayor Ivan Allen Jr.'s legacy through leadership, social courage, compassion, and human justice. Practiced decision-making based upon moral and ethical principles. Demonstrated leadership guided by values and compassion. Provided encouragement and inspiration to faculty, staff, and students to achieve goals and increase productivity. Empowered others by creating a culture of communication and trust.
Buzz Award for Student Support
Committed to improve our students’ daily life on campus. Demonstrated exceptional student service and academic support. Encouraged students to identify and reach their true potential. Developed innovative solutions to problems that resulted in significantly more effective and efficient department or Institute operations. Set an example of leadership, commitment, and strong work ethic.
Buzz Award for Impact to our Community
Notable and exemplary impact on the College, including impacts on groups (students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters), culture, and community. Our values are foundational in everything we do. “The mission and the values are not just words on paper. They describe who we are and who we aspire to be every day.” — President Ángel Cabrera. A group or an individual will be honored for incorporating Georgia Tech’s values, the Ivan Allen Advantage, and Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts' values, vision, and mission into everyday work.
Distinguished Teaching Awards
This award recognizes tenured/tenure-track faculty and non-tenure-track faculty whose measurable merits and strengths of their contributions from the past academic year include: providing outstanding and ongoing teaching excellence to students, developing innovative teaching techniques, using new teaching technology or developing solutions to problems that result in significantly more effective and efficient learning, and/or obtaining exceptional Course Instructor Opinion Survey (CIOS) scores.
- Eligibility: Academic and Research Faculty who serve as Instructor of Record with a minimum of 1 year of continuous, regular service within the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and in good standing with his/her respective unit, the college, and the Institute. Prior year award recipients are not eligible for nomination.
- Award: $2,000 taxable monetary award and $2,000 research support fund in the following fiscal year
- Number of Awards: 2 tenured/tenure-track faculty and 2 non-tenure-track faculty per academic year. In the non-tenure-track and tenured/tenure-track award categories, one award will be distributed to a faculty member who is pre-promotion, and one award will be distributed to a faculty member who is post-promotion.
Outstanding Achievement in Interdisciplinary Activities Award
This award recognizes faculty who have made significant interdisciplinary contributions to teaching, research, and/or service. The faculty member’s distinctive and substantial accomplishments and collaborations exemplify the interdisciplinary values and priorities of the College and/or Institute. Both interdisciplinary activities within the College and those involving disciplines outside the College are eligible for consideration.
- Eligibility: Academic and Research Faculty with a minimum of 1 year of continuous, regular service within the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and in good standing with his/her respective unit, the college, and the Institute. Prior year award recipients are not eligible for nomination.
- Award: $2,000 taxable monetary award and $2,000 research support fund in the following fiscal year
- Number of Awards: 2 per academic year
Research Excellence Awards
- Eligibility: Academic and Research Faculty with a minimum of 1 year of continuous, regular service within the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and in good standing with his/her respective unit, the college, and the Institute. Prior year award recipients are eligible for nomination.
- Award: $2,000 taxable monetary award and $2,000 research support fund in the following fiscal year
- Number of Awards: Up to 15 per academic year
Excellence in Research Publication
Demonstrates excellence in research through publication of one or more high-quality research publications or other forms of final research or scholarly output. Includes, but is not limited to, substantial research publications in high-quality competitive peer-reviewed disciplinary or interdisciplinary journals, publication of scholarly monographs, and publications of competitive conference proceedings (in disciplines where proceedings represent final research outputs), etc.
Excellence in Sponsored Research Funding
Demonstrates excellence in research through receipt of competitive external funding to support IAC research efforts, receipt of a competitive external fellowship, leadership of a large-scale, typically multi-institutional, research collaboration, etc.
Excellence in Research Outreach and Engagement
Demonstrates excellence through public scholarship, including writing for and otherwise disseminating IAC research to broad non-academic audiences, or through sustained outreach to and engagement with external communities (e.g., schools, museums, nongovernmental organizations, government agencies, etc.) that raise awareness, understanding, and appreciation of IAC research and/or meaningfully engage outside audiences in the research process.
Excellence in Research Impact
Demonstrates excellence through the use of IAC research in high-impact real-world settings, including but not limited to invited public shows of scholarly practice-as-research (e.g., art installations, public readings or airings of work, etc.), the adoption of IAC research by public or private entities, or other socially impactful organizations, and the use of IAC research to inform such activities (e.g., citation in congressional testimony, court decisions, amicus briefs, National Academies reports, etc.), or high-impact scholarly awards and recognition (e.g., national or international awards for research excellence, national academy membership, prestigious board seats, etc.).
Excellence in Research Mentorship
Demonstrates excellence in research mentoring of trainees at any level, including undergraduate students, graduate students, or postdoctoral researchers, through the provision of high-quality, distinctive research mentoring experiences. These include, but are not limited to, opportunities for research trainees to attend conferences and disseminate their research, recognition of research trainees’ efforts through awards, fostering internal and external collaboration opportunities for research trainees, establishing and leading peer mentoring activities, writing groups, journal clubs, or other structures that create a positive research environment for mentees.
Previous Winners
Previous Award Winners
2025
Buzz Awards
Nicole Brundage, Assistant to the Chair, School of Public Policy
Kimberley Cartier, Executive Assistant to the Dean, Dean’s Office
Tia Williams, Program and Operations Manager, School of Modern Languages
John Thornton, Principal Academic Professional and Director of LMC Films, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Andrew McGraw, Student Engagement and Events Manager, Dean’s Office
Linda Hudson, Financial Administrator, School of Modern Languages
Caitlin Kelly, Academic Professional and Director of the Naugle Communication Center, Writing and Communication Program
Distinguished Teaching Awards
R. Lincoln Hines, Assistant Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Cici McNamara, Assistant Professor, School of Economics
Christopher Lawton, Lecturer, School of History and Sociology
Satomi Suzuki-Chenoweth, Senior Lecturer, School of Modern Languages
Faculty Excellence in Research Awards
Mayra Pineda-Torres, Assistant Professor, School of Economics
Helen Anne Curry, Melvin Kranzberg Professor in the History of Technology, School of History and Sociology
Dalton Lin, Assistant Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Susana Morris, Associate Professor and Interim Associate Chair, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Paul Alonso, Associate Professor, School of Modern Languages
Mark Zachary Taylor, Associate Professor and Co-Director of GTDC, School of Public Policy
Outstanding Achievement in Interdisciplinary Activities Award
Margaret E. Kosal, Associate Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Jennifer Singh, Associate Professor and Associate Chair, School of History and Sociology
2024
Buzz Awards
Kimberly Bass Seaton, Administrative Manager II, School of Modern Languages
Yvette Mitchell, Administrative Professional III, School of Public Policy
Eve Pike, Assistant to the Chair I, School of History and Sociology
Allyson Tant, Financial Manager I, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Cassidy Chreene Whittle, Communications Officer II, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
Meenu Mukherji, Program and Operations Manager, School of Public Policy
Sonya Boadu, Academic Advisor II, School of History and Sociology
Davis Palubeski, Academic Program Manager I, School of Economics
Tracy Kincaid, Administrative Professional Senior, Navy ROTC
Fariah Majmundar, Faculty Affairs Administrative Manager, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
Distinguished Teaching Awards
Zak Taylor, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy
Amanda Weiss, Associate Professor, School of Modern Languages
Travis Denton, Academic Professional, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Eliza Markley, Lecturer, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Faculty Excellence in Research Awards
Robert Gonzalez, Assistant Professor, School of Economics
Todd Michney, Associate Professor, School of History and Sociology
Mariel Borowitz, Associate Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Carol Colatrella, Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Hongchen Wu, Assistant Professor, School of Modern Languages
Robert Rosenberger, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy
Outstanding Achievement in Interdisciplinary Activities Award
Brian An, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy
Allen Hyde, Associate Professor, School of History and Sociology
2023
Buzz Awards
Brittany Skanes, Administrative Professional III, School of History and Sociology
Debra White, Administrative Professional III, School of Economics
Priti Bhatia, Director of Facilities and Capital Planning, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
Jillann Hertel, Academic Professional, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Frances Baumgartner, Satellite Counselor, Counseling Center
Camille Liverpool, Career Educator, Career Center
Distinguished Teaching Awards
Richard Barke, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy
Narin Hassan, Associate Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Danielle Geary, Senior Lecturer, School of Modern Languages
Aselia Urmanbetova, Academic Professional, School of Economics
Faculty Excellence in Research Awards
Casey Wichman, Assistant Professor, School of Economics
Sherie Randolph, Associate Professor, School of History and Sociology
Fei-Ling Wang, Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Brian Magerko, Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Stéphanie Boulard, Associate Professor, School of Modern Languages
Omar Asenio, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy
Outstanding Achievement in Interdisciplinary Activities Award
Rachel Whitlark, Associate Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Ida Yoshinaga, Assistant Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
2022
Buzz Awards
Greg Abrams, Financial Analyst III, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
Neta Kanny, Academic Program Manager, School of Modern Languages
Melanie Richard, Academic and Research Support Engineer Senior, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
John Thornton, Senior Academic Professional and Director of Film and Media, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Alice Favero, Academic Professional, School of Public Policy
Renee Jamieson, Academic Program Manager, School of Literature, Media and Communication
Kyle Poe, Career Educator, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts
Aselia Urmanbetova, Academic Professional, School of Economics
Distinguished Teaching Awards
Annika Orich, Assistant Professor, School of Modern Languages
Katja Weber, Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Molly Slavin, Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Chad Slieper, Academic Professional, School of Public Policy
Faculty Excellence in Research Awards
Brian An, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy
Katie Farris, Associate Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Lelia Glass, Assistant Professor, School of Modern Languages
Danny Hughes, Professor, School of Economics
Rachel Whitlark, Assistant Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Germán Vergara, Assistant Professor, School of History and Sociology
2021
Buzz Awards
Lindsey McKenzie
Brad Rittenhouse
Matt Soffel
Amanda Blocker
LaDonna Bowen-Chavers
Mirla Gonzalez
Stephanie Jackson
Distinguished Teaching Awards
Dylan Brewer, Assistant Professor, School of Economics
Jonathan Shelley, Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Faculty Excellence in Research Awards
André Brock, Associate Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Lindsey Bullinger, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy
Kelley Fong, Assistant Professor, School of History and Sociology
Natalie Khazaal, Assistant Professor, School of Modern Languages
Anjali Thomas, Associate Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Karen Yan, Assistant Professor, School of Economics
2020
Buzz Awards
Ken Bernard, IT Support Professional, IAC Dean's Office
Dante Christmas, Assistant to the Chair, School of Economics
Lamar Handy, Financial Administrator, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Linda Hudson, Financial Administrator, School of Modern Languages
Chris McDermott, Research Associate, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Janet McKinney, Administrative Professional, Center for Advanced Communications Policy
Şebnem Özkan, Associate Director, Atlanta Global Studies Center
Jessica Palacios, Marketing and Event Coordinator, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Nicholas Platt, IT Support Professional, IAC Dean's Office
Leslie Ross, Undergraduate Academic Advisor, School of Public Policy
Denice Shorter, Senior Administrative Professional, Naval ROTC
2019
Buzz Awards
Mayumi Cole
David Selman
Jenny Strakovsky
Michael Terrell
Jocelyn Thomas
Jade Charnigo
Carolyn Crump
Robert Hampson
Distinguished Faculty Research Award
Lisa Yaszek, Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
2018
Buzz Awards
Kenya Devalia
Erin Green
Will Jimerson
JC Reilly
Melanie Richard
Janice Russell
Yolanda Turner
Joe Zima
Distinguished Faculty Research Award
Brian Magerko, Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
2017
Buzz Awards
Liz Hyman
Jillann Hertel
Fariah Majmundar
Joanna Jeskova
Distinguished Faculty Research Award
Mary Frank Fox, Professor, School of Public Policy
2016
Buzz Awards
Jade Hill
Kevin Pittman
Ed Able
Elizabeth Miller
Distinguished Faculty Research Award
Jay P. Telotte, Professor, School of Literature, Media, and Communication
2015
Buzz Awards
Tony Gallego
Grace Garrett
Steve Hodges
Distinguished Faculty Research Award
Alasdair Young, Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Hanchao Lu, Professor, School of History and Sociology