Awards and Recognition

An emeritus or emerita distinction is a meaningful way to honor retiring or retired faculty who have made significant contributions to UTEP throughout their careers. It also helps keep them connected and engaged with the UTEP community. Nominations should be submitted to the Office of the Provost by mid-September.

Nomination materials should include:

• Recommendation Form
• Nominee's retirement letter
• Nominee's CV
• Recommendation (by vote) from the Dean, Department Chair or Academic Program Director, and departmental colleagues
• Two or more letters of support from departmental faculty or others outside the department

The Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award is made possible by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation and offers faculty members the opportunity to receive $5,000 for superior teaching at the college level. The foundation distributes ten awards to professors from Texas colleges and universities. A UTEP faculty review committee facilitates the internal nomination process and recommends finalists to the Provost's Office. The Office of the Provost will select a final nominee and will provide the selected faculty member with feedback for a competitive application.

Nomination deadline: October 10, 2025. 

Submit an Internal Nomination Packet 

Award:

• Each Piper Professor receives a $5,000 award. Ten Piper Professors are selected each year from Texas institutions.

Eligibility and Process:

• All full-time faculty are eligible and each university may submit only one nomination.
• The ideal candidate must have been continuously teaching at UTEP for at least 3 years and have a record of teaching excellence as evidenced by awards, recognitions, or other documented accomplishments at the department, college, and/or university level.
• A UTEP faculty review committee will facilitate the internal nomination process. 
• The President forwards the final nomination to the Piper Foundation.

Internal Nomination:

• Each nominee should submit: (1) a current CV and, (2) a completed “Part B” of the nomination form. Part B of the nomination form can be found at https://comptroller.texas.gov/programs/education/msp/funding/programs/piperprofessors.php 
• A faculty review committee will submit two top recommendations to the Office of the Provost and the final nominee will solicit recommendation letters and will work alongside the Office of the Provost to complete Part A of the nomination form.

Award Timeline

• October 10, 2025: Internal nominations deadline
• October 20, 2025: Faculty review committee recommendations due to Office of the Provost
• October 24-Nov 10, 2025: Final nominee window to solicit recommendation letters and complete nomination packet
• November 14, 2025: Final nomination due to foundation
• May 1, 2026: Foundation to release official announcement

Previous Award Recipients
Martine Ceberio, Professor of Computer Science (2025)
Lawrence M. Lesser, Professor of Mathematical Sciences (2016)
Jorge L. Gardea-Torresday, Professor of Chemistry and Environmental Science (2012)
Lawrence Eugene Murr, Professor of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (2010)
James E. Becvar, Professor of Chemistry (2009)
Stephen W. Stafford, Professor of Metallurgical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering (2006)
Kathleen A. Staudt, Professor of Political Science (2003)
Nancy Marcus, Professor of Mathematical Sciences(2003)
Patricia Ainsa, Professor of Education (2000)
William Doyle Smith, Professor of Economics and Finance (1995)
Joan Phelan Quarm, Professor of English (1980)
Charles Leland Sonnichsen, Professor of English (1971)
Clyde R. Nichols, Professor of Engineering (1970)
Anton H. Berkman, Professor of Biological Sciences (1966)
Cecil C. Crawford, Professor of Philosophy (1961) Read More

This award honors a staff member, a faculty member, and an institutional team who have performed outstanding institutional service to students, colleagues, and/or other University stakeholders, transcending job expectations. The staff and faculty award categories are accompanied by a $1000 cash prize and a commemorative plaque. The team award is accompanied by a $1000 prize that will be directed toward a campus program recommended by the winning team.

Nominations for the 2025 year have closed. Please check back in May 2026 for the next nomination window.

Through this fellowship, UTEP aims to enhance existing ties and build new engagement opportunities with Chihuahuan universities in ways that support engaged learning experiences for UTEP students, or advance of faculty scholarly activities and new research, including engaged scholarship.

The application period is closed. Please check back in January 2026 for the next opportunity to apply.

Since 2008, the University of Texas System Board of Regents has annually recognized exemplary educators from every UT institution with a Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. The awards honor extraordinary classroom performance and innovation in undergraduate instruction.

The nomination window is closed. Please check back in March 2026 for the next nomination window.

The UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers (UTSADT) focuses on a commitment to leadership and mentorship in teaching excellence and student success in the classroom and beyond that is centered on innovation, collaboration, and action-oriented advocacy.

Nominees must be current full-time faculty, who are previous recipients of a Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award (ROTA).

Applications for the 2026 year will be announced in spring 2026—please check back for updates.

The President’s Community Engaged Scholarship Award honors a faculty member who has employed the academic resources of the University to address important public problems and contribute to the public good, and who has disseminated the results of that work in scholarly venues.
2019 Award Recipients:

• Eva Moya, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Social Work

2019 Award Nominees:

• Josiah Heyman, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology
• Thenral Mangadu, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences
• Rosa Maldonado, D.Sc., Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
• Ahmed El-Gendy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Physics

Please check back for future award opportunities.

About the Award and Nomination Process