Wall of Honor

The Wall of Honor celebrates exceptional achievements in scholarship, research, creative activity, and service within our academic community. Recognizing excellence across diverse fields of study, this page highlights accomplishments that exemplify dedication, innovation, and leadership.

Dr. Robert D. Podolsky, Department of Biology

Prestigious education award from the  Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB)

M. Patricia Morse Award for Excellence and Innovation in Science Education is given annually by SICB for significant achievement in science education. Bob was recognized for work in directing the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at Grice Marine Lab, for  contributions for 6 years as chair of the SICB Educational Council, for his  “Student as Producer” approach to classroom teaching, and for his efforts toward diversity and inclusion in STEM. 

Dr. Shannon Eaves Department of History

Southern Association of Women Historians Julia Cherry Spruil Award

Shannon Eaves has won the Southern Association of Women Historians Julia Cherry Spruill Award, awarded annually for the best book in southern women’s history, broadly construed for her book Sexual Violence and American Slavery.

Dr. Morgan Koerner, Dept. of German and Russian Studies

Best Article of Die Unterrichtspraxis/ Teaching German

The 2025 Award for Best Article in Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German recipient is Morgan Koerner of College of Charleston in Charleston, SC. His article, “Racial literacy and performative pedagogies in the German theater practicum,”  explores the potential and pitfalls of performative pedagogies for teaching literature that thematizes issues of race and racism and argues that racial literacy requires a rethinking of drama-pedagogical practice

Dr. Mike Larsen – Department of Physics

Published in Science

Mike Larsen recently achieved a remarkable milestone with the publication of a paper in Science, one of the most prestigious academic journals worldwide. In collaboration with colleagues from Michigan Technological University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Larsen co-authored research examining cloud droplet sizes in marine stratocumulus clouds. The study uncovered surprising findings with the potential to significantly influence global climate modeling, demonstrating the high impact and relevance of his work.

Drs. Erik Sotka & Allan Strand – Department of Biology

Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Erik Sotka and Allan Strand co-authored an article published in the internationally renowned journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Their paper, titled “The Genetic Legacy of a Global Marine Invader,” was published last year and features collaboration with some of the most prestigious marine science laboratories in the United States, including VIMS, Williams College, UC Irvine, University of Washington, the Smithsonian Research Institute, and Cal State Fullerton.

Additionally, their research drew contributions from marine institutes across the globe, including institutions in Japan, Chile, New Zealand, Sweden, Argentina, France, Korea, Germany, and Spain. This international collaboration underscores the global significance and influence of their work in marine biology.

Dr. Brian Lanahan – Department of Teacher Education

Three-Time Fulbright Scholar

Dr. Brian Lanahan has distinguished himself as a leader in global education, research, and international collaboration through the completion of three Fulbright Scholarships. Most recently, in Fall 2024, he completed a Fulbright at the University of Zadar in Croatia, where he lectured on American history and education while developing a book proposal examining Croatia’s educational evolution from 1995 to 2025, a period marked by transformation following the Croatian War of Independence.

Dr. Lanahan’s earlier Fulbrights include a 2008 appointment in Bosnia, where he lectured on American education and culture to university and high school students in Sarajevo. His second Fulbright occurred in Spring 2019 in the Republic of Georgia, where he taught pre-service teachers at the Pedagogical Institute. Dr. Lanahan’s dedication to fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration has left a lasting impact on the global academic community.