Faculty Resources
Research Recognitions and Awards for Faculty
Regents Distinguished Research Award
Award Philosophy
The Regents Distinguished Research Award recognizes research excellence at Oklahoma State University. The term research includes all scholarly, scientific, and creative activities. Recipients of the award will be selected based on the evidence of outstanding and meritorious achievements in research. The candidates must demonstrate a distinguished record of past and continuing excellence in research.
The program includes one award per college, except the College of Arts and Sciences, which has two (one in the sciences and one in the arts and humanities). Along with University recognition, awardees earn a $2,000 permanent increase in annual salary plus associated fringe benefits.
“Research excellence is the hallmark of a great land-grant university,” said Kenneth Sewell, OSU’s vice president for research.
“These honorees each year are great examples of the amazing impact our faculty have on their disciplines and society at large, not to mention the transformative effect they have on their students here on campus.”
Eligibility and Nomination Criteria
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Full-time faculty members (in any faculty appointment) who have been at OSU for four or more years as of the application deadline. Note that this includes tenure line as well as research faculty appointments.
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Evidence of excellence of the nominee’s research accomplishments.
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An individual can receive the award no more than twice.
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Each college must submit two nominations, except for the College of Arts and Sciences which must submit four (two nominations must be from the sciences and two from the arts/humanities disciplines).
More Information
- 2022 Award GuidelinesView the 2022 Regents Distinguished Research Award guidelines document.
- 2021 Award Recipients
Oklahoma State University honored seven faculty members with the 2021 Regents Distinguished Research Award during the December 2021 University Awards Convocation.
The award recipients must demonstrate a distinguished record of past and continuing excellence in research and be recognized nationally and internationally.
“Research excellence is the hallmark of a great land-grant university,” said Kenneth Sewell, OSU’s vice president for research. “These seven honorees are great examples of the amazing impact our faculty have on their disciplines and society at large, not to mention the transformative effect they have on their students here on campus.”
The Regents Distinguished Research Award program includes one award per college, except the College of Arts and Sciences which has two (one in the sciences and one in the arts/humanities disciplines).
Our 2021 Regents Distinguished Research Recipients are...
Brant Adams, Ph.D., Professor, Greenwood School of Music
Adams is a widely published composer, arranger, and orchestrator, whose creative works are regularly performed by choirs and instrumentalists in countries around the world and can be seen on YouTube and other online media sites. Recent domestic performances include venues such as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Kennedy Center by such groups as the New York Pops Orchestra, Essential Voices USA, and the National Symphony in Washington DC. He has published over 500 orchestrations of sacred choral works with well-known publishers such as Hal Leonard, Lorenz, Shawnee Press, and Santa Barbara Music Publishing. His series of instrumental solo books published by Lorenz now includes 25 volumes. His numerous choral compositions and arrangements often appear as required literature on repertoire lists for festivals and competitions around the country, and are often performed by public school, university and professional choirs around the world.
Dursun Delen, Ph.D., Regents Professor, Management Science and Information Systems
Delen is an internationally renowned expert in business analytics, data science, and artificial intelligence. He is often invited to national and international conferences to deliver keynote presentations and companies and organizations for consultancy and mentoring engagements. Delen's research focuses on improving health and medicine through developing clinical decision support systems that leverage the latest artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques. Delen has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles and eleven books. He regularly chairs tracks and minitracks at various business analytics and information systems conferences. Delen has been the recipient of numerous research and teaching awards including the prestigious Fulbright scholar, regents’ distinguished teacher and researcher, president’s outstanding researcher, and Big Data mentor awards.
Jamey Jacob, Ph.D., Professor, Mechanical
Dr. Jacob’s research focuses on unmanned aircraft systems. The impact of Dr. Jacob’s scholarship is documented in a 2020 Stanford University study which ranked nearly 160,000 scientists of all disciplines based on citations to their work over their career. Dr. Jacob ranked in the top 1.5% of researchers world-wide in the aerospace and aeronautics category. Dr. Jacob’s research has not only advanced the state-of-the-art through scholarship, but it has also promoted the growth of the Oklahoma aerospace industry. Several start-up companies and R&D partnerships are a direct result of Dr. Jacob’s research efforts.
Clinton Jones, PhD., Professor, Veterinary Pathobiology
Jones' laboratory investigates two neurotropic herpesviruses, bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) and the human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), that establish life-long latent infections in sensory neurons. Stress and immune suppression can trigger reactivation from latency, which leads to virus shedding, virus transmission, and recurrent disease. The focus of our research is to understand how these viruses establish, maintain, and reactivate from latency. His HSV-1 studies are funded by a NIH R01 grant, and the BoHV-1 studies are funded by two USDA-NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture) grants.
Dingbo Lin, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Nutritional Sciences
Lin’s research is to advance our understanding of the health benefits of vitamin A, carotenoids, and their enriched foods in protecting against inflammation, obesity, and diabetes in humans and mouse models, by approaches of nutrigenomics, metabolomics, and gut microbiome profiling. The whole foods being investigated in Lin laboratory include egg, salmon fish, peach, watermelon, whole wheat, wolfberry, and Atlantic mackerel. Lin has obtained more than $2 million research funding largely from USDA NIFA.
Thad Leffingwell, Ph.D., Professor, Psychology
Dr. Leffingwell is a clinical health psychologist. He is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), having completed intensive training in how to train others in the approach. His research interests include brief motivational interventions for health behavior change and motivational predictors of self-directed and assisted behavior change. He has worked on numerous different federal, state and privately funded intervention projects that investigated adaptations of motivational interviewing.
Gail W. T. Wilson, Ph.D., Regents Professor, Natural Resource Ecology and Management
Wilson’s research focuses on the role of belowground processes in mediating aboveground plant community structure and function in rangeland, savanna, forest, and agricultural ecosystems. Her program is at the forefront of providing cutting-edge information about a group of important, but difficult to study organisms – arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and successful acquisition of over $9 million in federal funding has resulted in major contributions towards improving rangeland and forest management, as well as restoration practices and sustainable bioenergy and food production locally, regionally, and internationally.
- Past Recipients
2020 Recipients
Igor Karača, College of Arts and Sciences
Yingmei Liu, College of Arts and Sciences
Ronald B. Cox Jr., College of Education and Human Sciences
James Stine Jr., College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Susan Little, College of Veterinary Medicine
Haobo Jiang, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Bryan Edwards, Spears School of Business2019 Recipients
Ramanjulu Sunkar, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Stacy Takacs, College of Arts and Sciences
William Jaco, College of Arts and Sciences
Lin Liu, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
Karina Shreffler, College of Human Sciences
Ramesh Rao, Spears School of Business
Sunderesh Heragu, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology2018 Recipients
Glenn Zhang, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Kristen Baum, College of Arts and Sciences
Elizabeth Grubgeld, College of Arts and Sciences
Federico Aime, Spears School of Business
Jason DeFreitas, College of Education, Health and Aviation
Amanda Sheffield Morris, College of Human Sciences
Ashish Ranjan, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences2017 Recipients
Robert Matts, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Flera Rizatdinova, College of Arts and Sciences
Mark Sisson, College of Arts and Sciences
Doug Smith, College of Education, Health and Aviation
Kelvin Wang, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Jennifer Hays-Grudo, College of Human Sciences2016 Recipients
Francis Epplin, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Robert Burnap, College of Arts and Sciences
William Decker, College of Arts and Sciences
Ramesh Sharda, Spears School of Business
Bert Jacobson, College of Education
Balabhaskar Balasundaram, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Hailin Qu, College of Human Sciences
Richard Eberle, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences2015 Recipients
Garey Fox, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Allen Apblett, College of Arts and Sciences
Edward Jones, College of Arts and Sciences
Rathindra Sarathy, Spears School of Business
Weili Zhang, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Barbara Stoecker, College of Human Sciences
Carey Pope, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences2014 Recipients
Dr. Jeanmarie Verchot, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. Larry Mullins, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Jiahong Wu, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Tyler Ley, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Dr. Murat Hancer, College of Human Sciences2013 Recipients
Dr. Leon J. Spicer, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. Loren M. Smith, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Z. Randall Stroope, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. J. Craig Wallace, William S. Spears School of Business
Dr. James K. Good, College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Dr. Amanda Sheffield Morris, College of Human Sciences
Dr. Dianne McFarlane, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences2012 Recipients
Dr. Samuel Fuhlendorf, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. Richard Bunce, Arts and Sciences
Dr. Riley Dunlap, Arts and Sciences
Dr. Dursun Delen, Spears School of Business
Dr. Julie Thomas, Education
Dr. Prabhakar Pagilla, Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Dr. Edralin Lucas, Human Sciences
Dr. Pamela Lloyd, Veterinary Health Sciences2011 Recipients
Dr. Ulrich Melcher, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. Estella Atekwana, Arts and Sciences
Dr. Thomas Shriver, Arts and Sciences
Dr. Charlotte Wright, Spears School of Business
Dr. Lucy Bailey, Education
Dr. Satish Bukkapatnam, Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Dr. Robert Larzelere, Human Sciences
Dr. Robert S. Conrad, Center for Health Sciences and College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr. Jeffrey S. Stroup, Center for Health Sciences and College of Osteopathic Medicine2010 Recipients
Dr. Jayson Lusk, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. James Huston, Arts and Sciences
Dr. John Mintmire, Arts and Sciences
Dr. Lynna Ausburn, Education
Dr. Khaled Gasem, Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Dr. Carolyn Henry, Human Environmental Sciences
Dr. Betty Simkins, Spears School of Business
Dr. Robert Fulton, Veterinary Health Sciences2009 Recipients
Dr. Brett Carver, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. John Chaney, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Warren Ford, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Rathindra Sarathy, William S. Spears School of Business Administration
Dr. Gary Yen, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology
Dr. Brenda Smith, College of Human Environmental Sciences2008 Recipients
Dr. Hailin Zhang, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. Charles Abramson, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Martin Wallen, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Tom Brown, William S. Spears School of Business Administration
Dr. Kathryn Castle, College of Education
Dr. Hongbing Lu, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology
Dr. Byoungho Jin, College of Human Environmental Sciences
Dr. Michael Davis, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences2007 Recipients
Dr. B. Wade Brorsen, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. Robert Mayer, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Kaladi S. Babu, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Ramesh P. Rao, William S. Spears School of Business Administration
Dr. Barbara J. Walker, College of Education
Dr. Jeffrey D. Spitler, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology
Dr. Amanda W. Harrist, College of Human Environmental Sciences
Dr. William Barrow, College of Veterinary Health Sciences2006 Recipients
Dr. John B. Solie, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. James F. Cooper, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Lionel Raff, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Dan S. Rickman, William S. Spears School of Business Administration
Dr. Hongyu Wang, College of Education
Dr. Don A. Lucca, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology
Dr. Laura Hubbs-Tait, College of Human Environmental Sciences
Dr. Lin Liu, College of Veterinary Health Sciences2005 Past Recipients
Dr. Carol Bender, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. Xincheng Xie, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Ziad El Rassi, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Debra L. Nelson, William S. Spears School of Business Administration
Dr. Bert Jacobson, College of Education
Dr. Jong-Moon Chung, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology
Dr. Hailin Qu, College of Human Environmental Sciences
Dr. Carey N. Pope, College of Veterinary Health Sciences2004 Recipients
Dr. William R. Raun, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. David Meinke, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. John C. Mowen, William S. Spears School of Business
Dr. Diane Montgomery, College of Education
Dr. Daniel Grischkowsky, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology
Dr. Donna Branson, College of Human Environmental Sciences
Dr. Jerry Malayer, College of Veterinary Health Sciences2003 Recipients
Dr. Marvin L. Stone, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Dr. K. Darrell Berlin, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Satyanarayan Nandi, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Ramesh Sharda, William S. Spears School of Business Administration
Dr. Lowell Caneday, College of Education
Dr. Ranga Komanduri, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology
Dr. Bahram H. Arjmandi, College of Human Environmental Sciences
Dr. Katherine M. Kocan, College of Veterinary Health Sciences
Annual Researchers Reception
Held annually in mid-March, the Division of the Vice President for Research hosts this event to celebrate research by faculty and investigators from all disciplines.
This is an invitation-only event.