2023 Faculty Awards & Fellowships

These are the awards and fellowships for 2023. Click the side menu links to view awards and fellowships from previous years.


Alexis R. Piquero, Professor of Sociology & Criminology and Arts & Sciences Distinguished Scholar, invited as a panelist to give testimony to the United States Civil Rights Commission – Racial Disparities in Violent Crime Victimization in the United States (November 17, 2023).


Professor Donald Spivey, Cooper Fellow and Distinguished Professor of History, received a 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference UNITE Award. The UNITE honor individuals affiliated with the league’s member institutions who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice.


Dr. Frank J. Penedo, a professor in the Department of Psychology, was recently honored with the ISBM Distinguished Scientist Award, which recognizes his contributions to behavioral medicine.


Cae Joseph-Massena, an assistant professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, recently received a grant from the American Association of University Women, to support her book project. The AAUW supports and promotes women in academia at all levels.


Mark Rowlands, chair and professor in the Department of Philosophy, was recently elected as Centenary Fellow of the Scottish Philosophical Association (SPA). The SPA is a professional association of philosophers promoting the study and teaching of the field in Scotland.


David Kling, Professor, Cooper Fellow, and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies, received the prestigious Outstanding Achievement in Research and Scholarship Award given to University of Miami faculty as part of the Provost’s Awards for Faculty Excellence and Impact. This award recognizes full-time University faculty who have contributed a single unique, high-impact scholarly contribution to their field or research program. Awardees receive a monetary prize and are recognized at the annual awards reception.


Alejandro Portes, Professor of Law and Distinguished Scholar of Arts and Sciences, was elected to a Margaret Olivia Sage (MOS) Senior Scholar Fellowship by the Russell Sage Foundation. The appointment carries a two-month residence at the Foundation in New York. Established in 2015, MOS Scholars are selected by the Foundation's Board of Trustees on the basis of their career accomplishments. While in residence at the Foundation, Scholars pursue their own research and participate in the intellectual activities. They also advise the president and program officers about both new and ongoing research initiatives.


Professor Ira Sheskin in the Department of Geography and Sustainable Development was honored with the prestigious 2023 Marshall Sklare Award. This award is the most significant annual recognition bestowed by the Association for the Social Scientific Study of Jewry (ASSJ) and is given to distinguished scholars in recognition of their significant contributions in this field. The award honors Marshall Sklare, a renowned figure in American Jewish sociology who passed away in 1992. Sklare held the position of Klutznick Family Professor of Contemporary Jewish Studies and Sociology at Brandeis University.


Anne J. Cruz, Emerita Professor of Spanish in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, was recently awarded the Enrique Anderson Imbert National Award (or National Award of the North American Academy of the Spanish Language). The award is given to scholars who contribute to the study of the Spanish language and culture in the U.S.


Dr. Burjor K Captain, Associate Professor of Chemistry, was awarded this year's Outstanding Teaching Award from the faculty senate. The Outstanding Teaching Award recognizes outstanding teaching by a faculty member with a substantial education record at the University. 


Dr. Jennifer S. Durocher, a clinical associate professor of Psychology and Pediatrics and a director for UM-NSU CARD (University of Miami Center for Autism & Related Disabilities), received the 2023 In the Company of Women Award for the Education and Research category. The Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Department, in partnership with the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade and the Miami-Dade Commission for Women, give the award.


Julia Dallman, Associate Professor of Biology, received the Provost Teaching Award for Collaborative Teaching, 2023This award recognizes exceptional teaching by faculty across fields who engage our students in grappling with issues that transcend the narrow confines of the academy.


Louis Herns Marcelin, professor of Anthropology, received the Provost Teaching Award for Collaborative Teaching, 2023. This award recognizes exceptional teaching by faculty across fields who engage our students in grappling with issues that transcend the narrow confines of the academy.


Robin Faith Bachin, Associate Professor of History, recieved the Provost Teaching Award for Experential Learning, 2023. This award recorgnizes exceptional teaching by a faculty member who demonstrates an abiding commitment to students' learning inside and outside the classroom. 


Robin Bachin, Associate Professor of History, received the Provost Teaching Award for Collaborative Teaching, 2023. This award recognizes exceptional teaching by faculty across fields who engage our students in grappling with issues that transcend the narrow confines of the academy