Kimberly Greer, provost and vice president for academic affairs, has announced the recipients of the Outstanding Professor Awards and the Elizabeth Anne B. Papageorge Faculty Development Award at Stanislaus State for the 2018-2019 academic year. All recipients will be honored during the annual faculty awards dinner scheduled for Monday, May 13.
Outstanding Community Service: Dr. Xamuel Bañales - Anthropology, Geography and Ethnic Studies
Dr. Bañales has served in various roles within Stan State’s ethnic studies program and currently serves as the program director. He also assists with organizing various cultural events on campus and in the local community such as Day of the Dead and Indigenous Peoples Day events along with advising the Ethnic Studies Student Club and the Queer and Trans People of Color Collective.
The scope of his work reaches far beyond campus boundaries, and has received widespread praise, including this from Diana Shapiro, independent contractor for the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant: “I appreciate the volunteer efforts of Dr. Bañales and the ethnic studies program in helping to provide support in the Central Valley to marginalized populations that required critical attention,” Shapiro wrote. “Given that there are very little supportive spaces and resources for LGBTQ+ migrants in the Central Valley, Dr. Bañales’ service has been invaluable to the populations we serve.”
Outstanding Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity: Dr. Panos Petratos - Computer Information Systems
Dr. Petratos has made significant contributions to the Department of Computer Information Systems at Stanislaus State and his field. He has written a book along with dozens of articles and chapters for other books, academic journals and conference proceedings. Outside of his publications, Dr. Petratos has also delivered 30 conference presentations, acted as a co-chair for an international conference and was an invited speaker for two other international conferences regarding information quality and copyright law for digital intellectual property in cyberspace.
His Stan State colleague, Dr. Orestis Panagopoulos, wrote: “Dr. Petratos has the skills, mindset and personality that make working with him a fascinating and extremely joyful experience. He is a truly exceptional scholar with high academic integrity. I am convinced that Dr. Petratos's end goal is to contribute to science and share knowledge to better the generations to come.”
Outstanding Faculty Governance: Dr. Chris Nagel - Philosophy and Modern Languages
Dr. Nagel has participated in remarkable levels of University engagement and service in regard to shared governance on campus. His advocacy for lecturers to be included in faculty governance has been a central aspect of his contributions and success.
His colleagues consistently comment on his commitment to shared governance and his ability to dissect problems and communicate solutions to all involved parties on campus, including this tribute from colleague Dr. Alfred Petrosky: “Dr. Nagel is among those rare individuals who can dissect a problem and communicate the potential solutions to all the varied parties of interest on campus. That analytical capacity is directed as efficiently and ecumenically to something as broad as the review of campus policy, and as narrow and mundane as a dispute between professor and department chair. It’s rare to find a professor with sufficient élan and experience to place himself in the middle of any conference or any dispute and find a way to resolution.”
Outstanding Professor: Dr. Kurt Baker - Psychology
Dr. Baker has had an incredible impact on his colleagues and his students during his time at Stanislaus State in the Department of Psychology. He is a mentor to many and continues to demonstrate and integrate influential teaching practices into his courses. Students have described Dr. Baker a great listener, a creative instructor and an advisor who helps students envision career and academic paths that are both bold and attainable. His colleagues describe him as someone who can connect with students quickly and meaningfully, developing relationships built on trust and empathy.
Here’s a tribute from colleague Dr. William Potter: “Kurt’s ability to connect with students in a short amount of time is amazing. I have had glimpses into Kurt’s interaction with students — he does not dictate or push them into particular directions, but instead is a master at helping them clarify and verbalize what they envision for their future, then helps them create a practical and attainable path.”
Elizabeth Anne B. Papageorge Faculty Development Award: Dr. Renato Alvim - Philosophy and Modern Languages
Dr. Alvim has not only built meaningful relationships with his students and colleagues but has also revitalized the Portuguese program at Stan State. By starting a Portuguese Club and taking on the role as Director of the Portuguese Program, Dr. Alvim demonstrates his commitment to student engagement and student success.
His colleagues have referenced his passion for language and culture as the powerhouse behind the growing program, and one of his students offered this praise: “Dr. Alvim is a gifted professor whose dedication to his craft and to the teaching of language creates a harmonious classroom of students who not only learn well, but who truly enjoy learning. His rapport with his students in the classroom is, I believe, undeniably linked to his love for teaching; during my time in one of his Portuguese classes, he taught with palpable energy and love for his subject that clearly saturated his classroom and imbued his students with a similar zeal for language-learning.”