LSU Recognizes 32 Honorees at 2026 Faculty Awards

BATON ROUGE - On April 29, LSU honored 32 individuals during the 2026 Faculty Awards ceremony at Jubans Restaurant in Baton Rouge. Hosted by the Office of Academic Affairs, the annual event recognized excellence in teaching, research, service, and graduate instruction across the university.

The evening featured remarks from Chancellor James T. Dalton and Interim Provost Troy Blanchard, with Senior Vice Provost Jane Cassidy serving as the Master of Ceremonies for the presentation of awards. Throughout the program, LSU emphasized the central role faculty play in advancing the university’s mission through the evening’s keystone theme, which was represented in the awards and event materials.

“Our faculty serve as the keystone of LSU’s campus community, much like the central stone at the summit of an arch, which holds the entire structure together. Just as the keystone distributes weight and ensures stability, our faculty provide the essential support and guidance that propels our university forward," said Interim Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs & Provost Troy Blanchard. "They are the backbone of our educational mission, inspiring students, conducting groundbreaking research, and contributing to the vibrant intellectual and cultural life of our community.”

The event also highlighted the important partnership of the LSU Alumni Association and LSU Foundation, both of which sponsor major award categories and help make the annual recognition program possible. Joe Carvalhido, President and CEO of the LSU Alumni Association, and Rob Stuart, President and CEO of the LSU Foundation, were both part of the evening’s program, underscoring the shared commitment of LSU and its affiliated organizations to celebrating faculty excellence. This support connects faculty achievement to a broader culture of institutional investment and pride, ensuring that outstanding work is not only recognized publicly, but also supported in tangible ways. 

 Together, the award recipients reflect the depth and breadth of excellence found across LSU’s colleges, schools, and disciplines. Their contributions continue to advance the university’s mission while shaping the lives of students, the future of research, and the broader communities LSU serves.

The Distinguished Five

The ceremony’s highest honor, the LSU Distinguished Faculty Award, is presented each year to five faculty members known collectively as the “Distinguished Five," and includes a $2,000 salary increase. The Distinguished Five were joined on stage by Faculty Senate President Dan Tirone, a fitting gesture that reflected the pride of the faculty in celebrating colleagues whose work brings distinction to the university

Thomas Corbitt

Professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Science

Dr. Corbitt is a high-impact scholar whose work in quantum science has pushed the frontiers in techniques important for gravitational wave detectors. He and his group have made groundbreaking discoveries that have been published in the most prestigious journals in his field. Last year alone, his work was cited over 20,000 times, and his h-index is 138. He is a highly respected and sought-after PhD mentor. Additionally, and notably, he is one of two leaders of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program here at LSU. Through this REU, he has mentored undergraduate students from around the country in a 10-week-long summer research project. One of his students noted that, “[D]r. Corbitt is a great professor and extremely smart. This class has been my favorite so far in college. The material was very interesting and Dr. Corbitt was willing to answer any bizarre question we had on the exotic topics covered.” 

 

Maheshi Dassanayake

Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science

Dr. Dassanayake is a molecular geneticist who studies the adaptations that plants use to exist in extreme environmental conditions with important applications to global food security. She has received over $16 million in federal funding and currently has four active federal grants, spanning four countries (the United States, Israel, Australia, and South Korea). Her work is highly collaborative; in fact, that was a hallmark of her nomination packet. Her remarkable breadth of knowledge, paired with her dedication and infectious enthusiasm, has had an impact far beyond her lab in plant biology. Aside from her own students, her colleagues say she will work with anyone at any level and any time to discuss research and projects, treating everyone with fairness and respect. All of her nomination and support letters describe her as selfless, generous with her time, and one of the nicest people you will ever meet. As one summed it up, “She is simply inspirational.”

 

Keith B. Hall

Professor, Paul M. Hebert Law Center

Professor Hall is one of the leading scholars on the application of oil and gas law to new and emerging technologies that address climate change, including carbon capture, sequestration and storage, and related issues of subsurface ownership. His scholarly productivity is substantial and influential, having authored or co-authored foundational texts on energy law as well as important contributions featured in highly respected legal journals. Professor Hall is also a sought-after expert on the global stage, having organized high-level programs on topics related to energy law. In the classroom, he draws on his background as a chemical engineer and prior career in private law to bridge complicated engineering concepts with rigorous legal analysis, providing students with an informed perspective on the many career paths that are available in the complex fields of natural resources and energy law. His students recognize and appreciate his expertise, one commenting, “There is not a question in this topic that Professor Hall cannot answer.” 

 

Joyce Jackson

Professor, Department of Geography & Anthropology, College of Humanities & Social Sciences

 Dr. Jackson is a folklorist, ethnomusicologist, cultural anthropologist, curator, and filmmaker whose work focuses on folklore and cultural practices of Black Louisianans and people of the African Caribbean Diaspora. Her teaching, field work, and research make impactful contributions that are at once both academic and humanitarian, exemplified by study abroad courses in Haiti, Senegal, and Ghana, where students learn by being embedded in local folk rituals and medicinal traditions. As a community-engaged scholar, she is well known for her research in the areas of Gospel music, the Blues, rural origins of Jazz, and documentation and preservation of the distinct Mardi Gras culture of New Orleans and African links to Black Louisiana that were placed severely at risk due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. According to one of her students, her genius is “how she builds relationships based on genuine respect and reciprocity, listens deeply before asking questions, and honors the knowledge of research participants.”

 

James R. Stoner, Jr.

Professor, Department of Political Science, College of Humanities & Social Sciences

Dr. Stoner’s teaching and research interests focus on political theory, English common law, and American constitutionalism. He is a prolific scholar whose writings find their way into prominent outlets intended for the mass public, business leaders, and policy makers outside of academe, which enables him to have a broader reach than what is typical of many academic scholars. He has been a key leader in two important initiatives, the Apgar Workshop in conjunction with the Ogden Honors College and the Center for Collaborative Knowledge. Both of these initiatives engage faculty from across the campus in intellectual discourse and discussions about teaching and pedagogy. He is known for encouraging his students to develop their understanding of politics and to hone their critical thinking skills. As noted by one student, “he combined the respect and dignity due to the academic profession with the ability to make even the most nervous of young students feel welcome and inspired to learn.” 

 

Additional 2026 Honorees

David J. Kriskovich Distinguished Professorship
$3,000 per year for 3 years

• Helena Moura Fietz, Department of Geography & Anthropology, College of Humanities & Social Sciences

LSU Alumni Association Faculty Excellence Award
$2,000 cash award

• Bhuvnesh Bharti, Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Daniel Kuroda, Department of Chemistry, College of Science
• Ashley N. Mack, Department of Communication Studies, College of Humanities & Social Sciences
• Z. George Xue, Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast & Environment

LSU Foundation Distinguished Graduate Faculty Teaching Award
$3,000 cash award

• Michael P. Bibler, Department of English, College of Humanities & Social Sciences
• Joy Blanchard, Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education, College of Human Sciences & Education
• John M. Devlin, Paul M. Hebert Law Center
• Blake Howe, School of Music, College of Music & Dramatic Arts
• Kehui (Kevin) Xu, Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast & Environment

LSU Alumni Association Rising Faculty Research Award
$5,000 cash award

• Ethan M. Anderson, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine
• Qingxiao Li, Department of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness, College of Agriculture
• Michela Negro, Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Science
• Andre Pagliarini, Department of History, College of Humanities & Social Sciences

Ogden Honors College Outstanding Teaching Award
$2,000 cash award

• Elzbieta Cook, Department of Chemistry, College of Science

Brij Mohan Distinguished Professor Award
$1,000 cash award to be used by the recipient for projects related to social justice

• Fanny A. Ramirez, Manship School of Mass Communication

Carruth McGehee Award for Excellent Research by a Junior Faculty Member
$2,000 cash award

• Maurice Ruffin, Department of English, College of Humanities & Social Sciences

George H. Deer Distinguished Teaching Award
$2,000 cash award

• Funda Kizilkaya, Department of Chemistry, College of Science

H.M. "Hub" Cotton Award for Faculty Excellence
$1,000 cash award

• Thomas Galligan, Paul M. Hebert Law Center

Outstanding Service-Learning Faculty Award
$1,000 cash award

• Sadie D. Wilks, Manship School of Mass Communication

C-I Teaching & Service Excellence Award
$1,500 cash award

• Roxanne Kearns Dill, Manship School of Mass Communication
• Vincent L. Wilson, Department of Environmental Sciences, College of the Coast & Environment

Lillian Bridwell-Bowles Innovative C-I Teacher Award
$500 cash award

• Nihar Sreepada, Manship School of Mass Communication
• Nicholas Totaro, Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering
• Yao Wang, Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture, College of Art & Design

LSU Alumni Association Teaching Assistant Award
$2,000 cash award

• Christine Hayoung Cho, Department of Mathematics, College of Science
• Méghan E. Hodges, Comparative Literature Program, College of Humanities & Social Sciences