Winners honored for positive impact on university community

In recognition of their enduring commitment to the university community in the 2019-2020 academic year, Lehigh has awarded its most prestigious honors, the Lehigh University Awards, to 19 members of its faculty and staff, including four faculty members in the Rossin College. 

“We are deeply appreciative of the extraordinary dedication and exceptional effort our faculty and staff exhibit each and every day,” Provost Nathan Urban said. “We applaud our award winners, who have gone above and beyond in their commitment to the university while making a positive impact on the Lehigh community.”

The awards are typically presented each spring at the Lehigh Appreciation Dinner at Stabler Arena, but due to COVID-19 restrictions and health and safety concerns, the annual dinner was not held in April for the 2019-2020 academic year. 

The nominating period for the awards opened in November and ran through Feb. 7. Lehigh notified award recipients by email. 

The Rossin College recipients are:

Alfred Noble Robinson Faculty Award

Ganesh Balasubramanian, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics

The Alfred Noble Robinson Award is awarded to a faculty member or, in exceptional cases, divided between two members of the Lehigh faculty. Winners of this award have shown extraordinary enthusiasm for Lehigh’s goals and priorities, often working beyond their direct area/unit on university-wide projects or committees.

Christian & Mary Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching

Angela C. Brown, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering

Awarded to a tenured member of the faculty (professor or associate professor) for distinguished teaching performed during the academic year.

Hillman Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising

Ganesh Balasubramanian, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics

This award recognizes excellence in teaching, research or advancing the interests of Lehigh University. In that context, this award recognizes exemplary undergraduate student advising defined as either: a) Guiding students through their exploration and pursuit of an academic course of study; or b) Assisting students in the development and/or completion of research related to their degree program.

Lehigh Early Career Award for Distinguished Teaching

Arielle Katherine Carr, professor of practice in computer science and engineering

Lehigh University sponsors this award to be given to a member or members of the teaching staff for distinguished teaching performed during the academic year. This award, previously supported by the Lindback Foundation and known as the Junior Lindback Award, is presented to an early-career faculty member (assistant professor, lecturer or instructor).

Stabler Award for Excellence in Teaching

Mark A. Snyder, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering

Awarded to a member of the faculty who comes closest to the following standards: a) Mastery of his or her field and superior ability in communicating it to others; b) An exceptional talent for encouraging students to want to understand alternatives and to make choices; c) Knows how to extract from students the full measure of their potential to learn; d) Guides their thoughts in a spirit of free inquiry and learns from them as he or she teaches; e) Never rests from being a teacher and is so infectious in his or her manner that the students scarcely know how deeply he or she is teaching; f) Impresses on his or her students that they have only begun to learn while at Lehigh and that their real quest for knowledge and application of what they are taught will come after graduation; g) Ultimate goal is not only to lead his or her students to excellence in their chosen field, but also to excellence as human beings and as leaders of society.