Two K-State faculty receive $5,000 Iman Awards for research and teaching
Two Kansas State University faculty members in veterinary medicine and business administration will each receive $5,000 awards in recognition of their outstanding research and teaching during a 4 p.m. ceremony Oct. 29 at the K-State Alumni Center. Introduced in 2007, the annual Dr. Ron and Rae Iman Outstanding Faculty Awards are sponsored by the K-State Alumni Association and are made possible through the generosity of Ron and Rae Iman.
Dr. Jürgen A. Richt, Regents distinguished professor, university distinguished professor and Kansas Bioscience Authority eminent scholar in the College of Veterinary Medicine, will receive the Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Research. The recipient of the Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching is Dr. Swinder Janda, professor of marketing and the Robert M. Edgerley Chair in Global Business in the College of Business Administration.
Richt’s award recognizes faculty members who have distinguished themselves in their chosen profession and who have contributed significantly through research to improve the betterment of the educational experience, or whose research has had a significant impact on their area of study.
Richt serves as director of the Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases, which works with principal investigators in seven universities, as well as with various industrial partners. He has edited several books, published more than 160 peer-reviewed publications and raised more than $25 million in grants for veterinary research.
His nominator, Dr. M.M. Chengappa, university distinguished professor and department head of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, said, “Dr. Richt has been and continues to be a pioneer in veterinary science at the animal-human interface. He brings tremendous visibility to the university through his research and scholarly activities. We are very fortunate to have a faculty of his caliber and stature at K-State. He no doubt represents the very best Kansas State has to offer.”
Janda’s award honors a full-time K-State faculty member for excellence in high-quality instruction, strong relationships with students inside and outside the classroom and a reputation for scholarship and distinguished service to the university.
An expert in international marketing and business and marketing research, Janda has developed and implemented numerous study abroad courses that blend conceptual knowledge with business site visits to countries such as in South America, Europe, China and the United Kingdom. More than 350 Kansas State University students have participated in these programs.
He has previously won several prestigious teaching awards at K-State, including the 2006 Presidential Teaching Award, the 2010 International Educator Award and the 2012 Commerce Bank Outstanding Teaching Award.
His nominator, Kevin Gwinner, professor and department head of marketing, said, “Dr. Janda has done much to enhance the educational experience of K-State students through high quality instruction and his passion for developing and building strong relationships with students both inside and outside of the classroom. His record is demonstrative of superior scholarship and a strong commitment to serving the university.”
“We are so pleased to honor these outstanding K-State faculty members,” said Amy Button Renz, president and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association. “The accomplishments and personal touch of Dr. Richt and Dr. Janda have truly elevated the educational experience of our students and enhanced the reputation of K-State worldwide. We are also deeply appreciative to Ron and Rae Iman for their generous commitment to make these awards possible."
The Imans live in Albuquerque, N.M. Ron and Rae are life members of the K-State Alumni Association and serve as Kansas State University Foundation trustees. Ron earned three degrees from K-State: a bachelor’s degree in math education in 1962, a master’s degree in 1970 and a doctorate in statistics in 1973. He is a past member of the Association’s board of directors, serves as the Association’s representative to the KSU Research Foundation board and is chair of the Arts and Sciences Advisory Council. He received the university’s Arts and Sciences Distinguished Service Award in 1996 and, in 1994, served as national president of the American Statistical Association. Ron was named a Highly Cited Researcher by the Institute for Scientific Information in 2004.