Thirty-Six Faculty Honored at the 2024 University Faculty Awards

Thirty-six faculty were honored at this year's University Faculty Awards Ceremony, held on April 23, 2024, at the Manship Gallery in downtown Baton Rouge. The LSU Office of Academic Affairs hosts the University Faculty Awards ceremony each year to celebrate faculty excellence in research, teaching and service. The honorees are nominated and selected through a competitive process by their peers.

Executive Vice President & Provost Roy Haggerty presented awards to the honorees with Joe Carvalhido, President and CEO of the LSU Alumni Association, and Rob Stuart, President and CEO of the LSU Foundation. As part of the awards this year, LSU gave a $2,000 salary increase to five faculty members. The LSU Alumni Association sponsored 19 awards totaling $88,100, three of them including permanent salary increases and an annual academic support budget. The LSU Foundation sponsored 12 awards totaling $25,000.

The central theme of the event, that faculty are the keystone to LSU's success, was evident throughout the ceremony in the awards and other materials.

"Faculty serve as the keystone of our campus community, much like the central stone at the summit of an arch that holds the entire structure together," said Executive Vice President & Provost Roy Haggerty. "Just as the keystone distributes weight and ensures stability in an arch, our faculty provide the essential support and guidance that propels our university forward. They are the backbone of our educational mission, inspiring students, conducting groundbreaking research, and contributing to the vibrant intellectual and cultural life of our community."

Senior Vice Provost Jane Cassidy read citations about each faculty member, detailing why they received their award, including comments from students and colleagues. For example, Dr. Cassidy noted that three former students who wrote letters of support for Dr. Brannon Costello, professor in the Department of English and recipient of the Barbara Womack Alumni Professorship, were non-English majors who took a second course with Dr. Costello not because they were required, but because they chose to do so. One alum wrote, "I was greatly impacted by his insistence on the importance of maintaining a strong background in the humanities regardless of the career path I venture towards. Currently I am pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience, and, although the discipline is removed from literature studies, I often try to apply the critical thinking skills acquired from studying the humanities to my scientific work.”

Dr. Cassidy noted that Dr. Gabriele Piccoli, a professor in the Stephenson Department of Entrepreneurship & Information Systems and recipient of the J. W. Annison, Jr. Family Alumni Professorship, has a deep connection to LSU as an alumnus, which has fueled his passion for educating and guiding undergraduate students. One of his students said, "Dr. Piccoli doesn’t just teach; he inspires a deep-rooted passion for excellence in undergraduate education, making each student's journey unique and transformative. My life was changed for the better the moment I stepped into his course, and I am certain that countless other students can say the same.”  

Dr. Subramaniam Sathivel, professor in the School of Nutrition & Food Sciences and in the Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering and recipient of the William E. "Bud" Davis Alumni Professorship, has taught over 1,000 students across the Colleges of Agriculture and Engineering, consistently earning outstanding evaluations from his students for 17 years running. Quoting an alum of his undergraduate courses, “His accessibility and genuine concern for his students’ well-being make seeking his advice straightforward. Dr. Sathivel actively works to remove barriers to his students’ success, ensuring they can achieve their goals unhindered.” 

The LSU Office of Academic Affairs would like to thank the LSU Alumni Association, the LSU Foundation, and the LSU Office of the President for their generous support.